Rate hike riles Vanderbilt officials
VANDERBILT – Council Tuesday agreed to have solicitor Michael Macko get in touch with garbage hauler Fayette Waste of Waltersburg to find out why the firm raised the garbage rates in town by $1 a month. Last month, council argued that Fayette Waste should have informed officials before upping the rate from $7 to $8 a month.
This month, secretary Mary Jane Winterhalter said that, under contract, the garbage hauler “doesn’t have the right” to raise rates without informing council.
“I talked to Mike and he said, under the contract, they have to let us know about a rate increase,” said Winterhalter.
Councilman Joseph Ambrose said he talked to the former garbage collectorand was told that he collected about 8 tons of trash in the borough.
Ambrose also said that it cost the former hauler about $4 a ton to dump the trash.
“He had 200 customers and, if you figure it out, that means Fayette Waste is collecting an additional $160 a month,” said Ambrose. “These people are making money off of us, and I think they owe us an answer as to why they increased the rate.”
Council agreed and instructed Winterhalter to get in touch with Macko and make sure that Fayette Waste has a representative at next months meeting.
In other unrelated matters, Ambrose made a motion and council agreed to join the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs elected officials’ life insurance program. Ambrose additionally suggested and was granted permission for the borough to pay the monthly fee for council members, the mayor and the tax collector.
Ambrose said the monthly rate is $4.40 per person, which would amount to $39.60 a month to be paid for out of the general fund. Ambrose said it’s the least the borough could do for borough officials, since they don’t get paid for being on council.
“We worry about everyone else, but all we get is kicked in the teeth,” said Ambrose.
“We don’t get paid for being on council, so I don’t think it’s too much to ask for a little bit of life insurance.”
The policy, according to Winterhalter, would cover each council member, the mayor and tax collector for $10,000 each upon their deaths.
If an elected official is not voted back into office, the insurance woykd be dropped or that person could pick it up on their own at a higher rate, Winterhalter said.
In other matters, council:
– Agreed to purchase 15 lighted Christmas stars to be placed on utility poles on Route 201 in the borough, at a cost of $5,100. The price includes the lighted decorations and installation of electric on utility poles.
Winterhalter said the multicolored-lighted decorations were purchased from Belvetone Systems of Leisenring. She additionally said that under the contract Belvetone would install the decorations, take them down and store them the first year.
Councilwoman Betty Keffer said a town lightup ceremony will be planned Thanksgiving weekend so residents can get a first-hand view of the new decorations. The money for the lights will come from the $1 million Miller Trust Fund, which was left to the town for beautification purposes.
– Hired Robert Hayes of Dawson as a part-time borough worker at $8 per hour. Council agreed to have Hayes work under the supervision of borough worker George Gillespie of Lower Tyrone Township.
– Agreed to hold Halloween Trick or Treat on Oct. 26 from noon until 2 p.m.