Jan 11, 2007 By Steve Ferris 3 min read

FAIRCHANCE – Borough council discussed plans on Wednesday to make garbage collection more efficient to eliminate a deficit in the sanitation budget. Currently, two employees collect garbage every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but a third employee will begin working with them in an effort to cut the collection time down to two days.

The deficit was first said to be more than $34,000, but Councilman Raymond C. Eicher estimated that the figure was about $20,000.

Fairchance residents pay $10 a month for curbside collection.

Councilman Richard W. Pukl said changing the collection route would be considered if the addition of the third worker doesn’t reduce the time spent on collection.

Council President Herbert J. Myers said collecting with three employees will be tried for a couple months.

Myers said the sanitation employees usually complete their route by 11 or 11:30 a.m.

Recyclables are collected on Thursdays.

Councilwoman Dora E. Miller said it might cost the borough less money to hire a contractor to collect garbage.

“Can we really afford to continue to do this?” Miller asked.

She said the service is affordable for residents, but expensive for the borough to operate.

Myers said the unionized sanitation employees have two years remaining in their contract.

Eicher said he didn’t know if the borough would continue collecting garbage after the employees’ contract expires.

Myers said council was recently informed that tipping fees at the landfill will increase by 50 cents a ton this year.

He said council was told about the increase after this year’s budget was adopted.

The borough was also told after the budget was adopted that the electric bill for streetlights will increase by around $1,000 a month, Myers said.

In unrelated business, council passed a motion to amend its ordinance governing delinquent sewerage service bills if the Fairchance-Georges Joint Sewage Authority agrees to pay the cost of advertising the amendment and the solicitor’s fee.

Borough solicitor Simon John, who is also the solicitor for the authority, recommended that the council amend its ordinance so it has the same penalties as Georges Township’s delinquent bill ordinance.

The borough’s ordinance sets the fine at $250 and classifies violations as misdemeanor offenses, John said.

Penalties in the township’s ordinance are fines from $100 to $300 and 30 days in prison. Violations are considered summary offenses in the township’s ordinance, he said.

John said he would raise the issue at the authority’s meeting in February.

Turning to another subject, council agreed to advertise an ordinance that would require contractors hauling heavy loads on borough streets to post bonds in case they damage the roads.

Council members said they were concerned about possible damages from heavy equipment that will be used in the construction of a new school that the Albert Gallatin Area School District is building on Elm Street.

Myers said Elm Street and other streets will be video taped so the current conditions will be documented.

Council will vote on the ordinance at its Feb. 14 meeting.

In further business, council accepted now-former councilman Neal D. Christopher’s resignation effective Wednesday.

Christopher announced in December that he accepted a job as an administrative assistant for state Rep. Timothy Mahoney, D-South Union Township. Christopher had one year left on his term.

Myers said any borough resident interested in serving the remainder of the term should call the borough building at 724-564-9980 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Council also received a “thank you” from Corleen Brittain for fixing a flooding problem at her Beth Drive home.

“Words don’t seem to express my gratitude,” Brittain said.