The Whitehall Township Board of Commissioners on Monday decided not to ask Allentown City Council to refrain from taking action on the city's proposed lease of its water and sewer operations.

The city has proposed selling or leasing its wastewater treatment operations in order to raise money for a pension obligation. Township officials believe the proposal would result in higher sewer fees for every household in the township.

In a 4-3 vote, the commissioners rejected passing a resolution supporting a group which wants the city to put the question on the ballot in the May primary.

Specifically, the township resolution, if adopted, would have urged Allentown City Council "to take no further action on the mayor of Allentown's proposal to lease the city's water and sewer operations pending the result of a ballot question."

Board President Linda Snyder, Vice President Philip Ginder and Commissioner Clair Hunsberger voted in favor of the resolution. Opposing votes were cast by Commissioners Dennis Hower, Paul Geissinger, Gerard Palagonia and Thomas Slonaker.

The commissioners indicated they are wavering in their support of the Coplay-Whitehall Sewer Authority and its strong stance against the city's proposal to lease its sewer operations.

The CWSA, since its inception in the late 1960s, has had an agreement with Allentown for the treatment of sewage and pays a fee for the service. The agreement came about when the state said it did not want another wastewater treatment plant built.

In opening the discussion on whether the resolution should be adopted, Hower stressed he "fully supports" the CWSA but does not want to tell the city what to do.

Slonaker echoed Hower's concerns, saying, "This [resolution] is going a little too far."

"What's the purpose of this?" Geissinger asked.

Ginder said adopting the resolution would show support to the CWSA and its stance on the possible lease of the city's sewer system.

"We have a right to let the City of Allentown know how we feel about it," Ginder said. "By the same token we are not telling them [Allentown] what to do."

"The taxpayers should not be held hostage [to the city's financial problems]," said Snyder.

Adopting the resolution would not mean the township is telling the city what to do, she said.