Chester receiver asks Pa. court to halt stormwater authority board salaries and remove members

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Chester’s state-appointed receiver Michael Doweary is asking the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania for permission to block the Stormwater Authority of the City of Chester from paying salaries to board members.

“The fact is that there is a blatant conflict,” he said at Tuesday’s monthly public meeting. “There is double dipping and there are matters here that need to be addressed.”

Doweary has long asserted Chester City Council didn’t approve the board’s expansion from five to nine positions or paying members salaries. Previous requests for SAC to halt payday for leadership and remove unauthorized board members have gone ignored.

The receiver’s office estimated SAC has doled out $816,000 in “improper salary payments” since 2017. Doweary requested Tuesday the city’s recovery plan explicitly prohibit board member salaries, bar the city’s elected officials from serving on paid boards and limit SAC to five board positions.

If approved, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania would codify a number of ethics initiatives that would compel the authority to comply with his demands.

“This is not only critical to ensuring that SAC operates properly and legally, but also necessary for Chester residents and businesses to have any confidence in their government,” the legal petition read. “After all, what message does it send to the public if City authorities and City elected officials can disregard the law to their benefit?”

Bruce Conner Jr., SAC executive director, and solicitor Steven Hann did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The stormwater authority has previously categorized Doweary’s inquiries as politically motivated and criticized him for not showing respect.

Doweary’s newest action is the latest chapter in the showdown over the stormwater authority. In April 2024, Mayor Stefan Roots accused council members of violating the city charter for receiving two salaries — one for serving on the council and another from SAC.

In May 2024, the receiver asked the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for permission to access SAC’s finances. Doweary criticized SAC for accepting a loan from former Executive Director Horace Strand and his church to make payroll.

Attorneys representing the receiver’s office deposed SAC officials in October, zeroing in on the agency’s conduct including an instance where a contractor donated a $400,000 building as a “restricted gift” to Strand’s nonprofit and other allegations.

Strand accused the receiver of having “an axe to grind.” He retired from the authority in November, pointing to the “stresses” of managing SAC.