Unanimous board approval no longer would be required for the Girty's Run Sewer Authority to hire maintenance workers or buy equipment under bylaw changes being considered by member communities.

Ross, Shaler, Millvale and Reserve established the authority, and each has two members on its board. All eight votes are needed for most board business.

"It's hard to get eight votes to approve things, because it's hard to get eight people to show up for meetings," said William Youngblood, executive director of the larger McCandless Township Sanitary Authority, which administers the Girty's Run Authority.

Mr. Youngblood cited a recent effort to hire a part-time secretary. "It took us three months to get action," he said. "These changes will allow day-to-day operations -- things like personnel matters and purchases -- to run more smoothly."

Ross commissioners tentatively approved the changes April 28, but this week they voted to retain one of the present bylaws.

Commissioners voted Monday night to continue to require that future rate sewer increases be approved unanimously.

The authority had proposed a change that would allow sewer rates to rise if a majority of the board, including at least one member from each member community, agreed.

Each municipality has two representatives on the authority board.

The decision by Ross to retain the unanimity provision means that proposal is dead, commissioners President Daniel Demarco said. Municipal officials in all four communities have to approve any bylaw changes.

Millvale and Reserve have sent letters to the authority saying they have no objections to the changes. Talks continue with Shaler commissioners, who favor requiring a six-member "super-majority" to approve most board actions, Mr. Youngblood said.

The proposed bylaw changes approved by Ross commissioners would require just simple majorities to approve hiring of staff replacements and to make purchases.

The authority still would have to meet state bidding regulations. They require obtaining multiple phone bids for products or services costing at least $4,000 and advertising and obtaining written bids for contracts worth $10,000 or more.

The other bylaw changes would extend the life of the authority from 2034 to 2057 and would allow each member community to appoint one nonvoting liaison to the authority.

"We would be glad to have township or borough representatives attending our meetings and carrying communications to and from councils," Mr. Youngblood said. "We want everybody to understand we are running an open shop."

The McCandless authority took over administration of Girty's Run when the smaller agency lost its manager. The arrangement runs through September 2009, Mr. Youngblood said. "Things have worked out pretty well, but we'll revisit the relationship next year," he said.

The authority also has begun informal talks with West View officials to have that borough become a full member of the regional authority.

The Girty's Run trunk line carries sewage from the four member communities and West View to the Alcosan treatment plant along the Ohio River.