JOHNSTOWN - The Gloversville-Johnstown Wastewater Treatment Facility is paying back a loan of more than $52,000 from three years ago, when the facility was having some financial difficulties.

The Gloversville-Johnstown Joint Sewer Board Wednesday authorized a $52,861 payment to the city of Johnstown. Sewer plant Fiscal Officer Donna Renda said the payment represents the balance of what was owed on a loan used to buy a roll-off container truck.

Renda said the sewer plant purchased the $132,000 truck three years ago and needed the city's help to pay for it.

Plant Manager George Bevington told the board the facility was in worse financial shape three years ago. That was also a period before substantial revenue was starting to come in from Fage USA - the new yogurt company at the Johnstown Industrial Park.

"Our cash-flow problem is better now," Bevington said.

In other business, Bevington reported an Administration Building paving project was completed by Cobleskill Stone Products. He said a window project at the building was also done by in-house staff.

Renda told the board the plant's 2010 capital and general fund budget process is under way.

The board reviewed four residential sewer protests from Gloversville customers, approving one, tabling one and denying two.

Board members approved a $696 credit for a vacant dwelling at 19 Fourth Ave. Renda said the water line there became plugged and pipes burst. She said a contractor pumped water out of a window and water didn't go into the sewer system.

The board tabled a sewer protest at 11 Oakland Ave. Renda said a pipe also burst there, but the board decided to take no action until Bevington has a chance to inspect the home.

A residential protest from 54 Oakland Ave. was denied after Renda said excess usage was reported from a toilet problem. Another protest from 134 North St. was also denied after Renda reported there was a broken water meter at the vacant dwelling.

Bevington reported his facility had inconclusive results from sampling done at Wood & Hyde Leather Co. Inc. at Wood Street, Gloversville.

"Wood & Hyde had an issue on oil and grease [discharge]," he said.

Bevington said additional sampling was done, and Adirondack Environmental Services of Albany sent a report back to the sewer plant Sept. 25 indicating its results were "not exact."

He said oil and grease sampling can change from "one minute to another."

"It's been a problem to resolve," Bevington said. "It's been hard to exactly correlate the data."

Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.