It is becoming clear that critical information has been withheld from the Receiver appointed by the Commonwealth in April of 2020 to oversee Chester. Much of the information being withheld is well known to the PA DCED and Act 47 Team. That is the same DCED and Act 47 Team who are supposed to be working with the Receiver. And the same DCED and Act 47 Team who have had oversight responsibilities over the finances of Chester for 25 years, including during the last 10 years when the City went from a surplus in its general fund, to the fiscal emergency it now faces. The letter below outlines details of some of the critical information being withheld from the Receiver.
2020.12.03-Letter-and-Exhibits-to-John-P.-McLaughlin-EsquireExcerpt from the letter:
“Given the report’s reference to CWA, you should be aware of several inaccuracies that we assume are the result of the DCED and the Act 47 Team failing to provide the Receiver with accurate information. We also write in response to the Receiver’s apparent desire to pick up with the discussions abandoned by the City in 2018 that would have resulted in CWA operations in the City being run independently from the rest of the service area and a resolution of differences between the City and the CWA. Lastly, we are not surprised to read the Receiver’s confirmation of the allegations in the CWA’s pending Sunshine Act litigation against the City, namely that the City and Aqua conspired to sell the CWA behind closed doors, as evidenced by the fact that the City already decided to include pre-sale, non-refundable payments from Aqua in the proposed 2021 budget provided to the Receiver.”
