Public, Fraenkel Criticize Handling of RVSA Change

Dozens of residents attended the Sept. 14 meeting of Springfield's township committee to learn about and comment on the changes to the way the township collects Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority fees. Former Townhshp Committee member Harry Pappas and Deputy Mayor Bart Fraenkel said the government hadn't given the public adequate notice of the notice of the change.

After imploring the public several times to hold their comments in accordance with meeting procedure, a somewhat exasperated-seeming Mayor Ziad Shehady defended the town's reporting of the changes to RVSA fees and the RVSA billing method.

In his comments, Fraenkel questioned the timing of holding an open forum on Oct. 5 open forum on the RVSA changes, weeks after the bills would be due.

"On the whole, I think the governing body should have had this pre the bills going out," Fraenkel said at the meeting.

He added: "It's a matter of communication. I still support it."

During public comments, Pappas likewise questioned the wisdom of holding an event to answer the public's questions about the changes after the decisions about it had already been made.

"It's a shame these hearings weren't held prior," Pappas said.

Shehady interrupted Pappas's comments, correcting him on referring to the RVSA charge as a tax when Shehady said it is more correct to call the charge a utility. After a quick back and forth with Pappas about terms, Shehady defended the RVSA fee changes and the government's publicity of them.

"It was reported in multiple places as well as in hearings before we voted on it," Shehady said.

He said that while he believed the public was given sufficient advanced notice of the fee charges, that he understood why there was a perception that the changes were being sprung on residents. 

"People are by their nature reactionary, and they will react," he said. 

He said the township had endeavored to create the fairest system possible, but that the bottom line is that people who live and work in Springfield have to pay for the RVSA.

"We have to generate $2 million," he said before upbraiding actions of previous committee administrations and RVSA representatives for not reining in the quasi-public regional utility company in the past.

Nonetheless, the fairness of the fee was still questioned. A resident speaking in the wake of Shehady's comments said the bill for her household was over $600. She felt the first bill came too early and was created with cost inflating data, as the water usage was higher in summer months, when people used sprinklers on their lawns. 

Earlier this year, the Township Committee voted to charge residents Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority fees as a utility instead of as a part of the overall property tax bill. Unlike with the previous billing method, non-profit organizations, religious institutions and apartment buildings are responsible for paying the fee. The utility carries a $250 minimum charge, and increases with usage over 48,000 gallons. Sewerage use is measured by water intake.

Residents received their first bills for the utility last month; after a recent extension, payments are due Sept. 20.