I have to admit, when I saw the Talk it out Tuesday platform on this site and read a resident can post any concern, complaint or comment-no restrictions…my first thought was the Lansford Coaldale Joint Water Authority were a bunch of smug, soul sucking creatures that literally broke me down, crushed my spirit and spit me out.

So far though, anytime I sat down to write a letter about the water authority something else was bothering me more.  I believe this is my fourth letter and I’m really trying to resist writing about the prothonotary.  I was trying to file an affidavit of defense against Portnoff since they filed papers against me.  And thanks to the school district and the borough for bringing in predatory collectors, I have to pay Portnoff's 350 dollar attorney fees and 150 filing costs.  But now I had to pay 15 more to defend against a filing I also have to pay, against myself.  I wonder why nobody catches up.  But I digress….

I was having a hard time thinking of something to write.  I’m not really mad at them anymore but I still feel disdain thinking of them.  So I went to their website looking for a trigger.  What? They post agendas and meeting minutes now… that’s new. I'm impressed.

I started reading the 3 months of meeting minutes available, there was a motion to cut spending, fix and restore unauthorized pension money and cutting pay to board members.  I must be dreaming.

This was all commenced by Tommy Vajda.  Tommy you’re like a piranha at your keyboard sometimes, taking lil bites at people, but this community is better with you fighting for it.  Great job, sir.

But back to the soul sucking part..I could never understand why a government agency was so eager to shut off water.  You have to be a certain level of arrogant to tell a person you don’t deserve water.  It’s even worse when you can hear someone smile as they tell you that over the phone. 

I went 2 ½ years with no income. 0. I worked all my life, usually 2 jobs and suddenly became disabled.  And probably like most people that become disabled, I wasn’t seeing a doctor and I didn’t  have the mountain of paperwork that Social Security requires you to submit, so I had to wait. I understand everyone has problems, bills need to be paid and rules have to be followed.  My pet peeve has always been, if I have to follow rules so should the people requiring compliance from me.  So here goes..

Every quarter I get the bill on the third, this is due on the 20th.  They add the 10% and shut off around the 16th.  That’s not 30 days past due.  Every person I spoke to at the office thinks they have the legislative power granted by the constitution.  They don’t, Congress does.  Congress can make legislation to delegate this power to a local agency, but it needs to be accompanied with specific guidelines. (ex-”after 30 days..”)

This was around 2022-2023 and the water authority had violations every quarter for over two years, they were mostly failure to monitor, failure to report, late submitting samples, ect.  So when I called on a Tuesday and asked to not shut off my water and I could pay Friday I was required to have my money on time. All I heard was nope, and now I needed 50 more to turn it back on. Great so now I can’t pay the sewer and my water is off again.  Or the borough transmission fee.

I’m not a confrontational person, I still thought obtaining water samples required tracking through fields, maybe climbing a mountain..Imagine my surprise when I saw that the sample points are in some of their homes.  I think the hospital and a gas station in town also.  Just turning on a spigot. That’s tough.

Considering our water supply butts up to a supersite, I would think there should be a stronger urgency to monitor our drinking water.  There were still levels of lead, cadmium and arsenic in the soil and ground water at Tonolli’s for the 2023 -5 year monitoring report and our water is a deeper bedrock ground water. It was never reported to be affected. And in their defense I had my water tested a few times in the past and it was a lot better than I expected.  Very good for the area actually.

I think the real reason I’m being very petty about this is the fact that the winter before last, I went the whole season with no heat.  My boiler quit.  Do I think it’s because my water was shut off every quarter, even in the freezing cold?  100% yes. I’m just pointing out the humanity of it, or the lack of it.

In closing, a quick shout out to Erin.  I saw her getting some shade for this site and I think she brought a way to help the community be involved, ask questions, see the meetings and hold people accountable. I think that’s all good things and couldn’t happen before, this town can be extremely clique-ee.   

On a personal note, I met Erin through this site. I didn't know her before. I was feeling down lately because my son has struggled with addiction for over a decade. It’s hard to see someone you love drowning in front of you.

Erin, through her husband, put me in contact with someone who understood and helped. So thanks Erin, you Lansford sunshine. I’m glad I got to know you.

Integrity is what you do when no one is watching…

Holly Sharp