Hellertown Borough Council adopted a final 2024 budget earlier this week that doesn’t include a property tax increase, but will result in higher trash and recycling costs for residential rate-payers.
Borough manager Cathy Hartranft explained that the higher rates are because of a 42 percent increase in the cost of what the borough pays its recycling hauler.
Earlier this fall, council approved a three-year contract with J.P. Mascaro of Allentown at a cost of $805,320, she said.
Mascaro was the low bidder for the contract, with the other bid the borough received coming from Whitetail Disposal of Perkiomenville.
As of Jan. 1, when the new contract takes effect, the rates for residential sanitation and recycling will increase from $311.85 to $370.64 per year, Hartranft said.
To help keep costs from rising even further, council has also directed staff to file judgments on any and all outstanding sanitation/recycling liens, she noted.
During a discussion about the budget at Monday’s council meeting, councilman and financial committee chair Andrew Hughes said there was “a major team effort, not just with council, but with staff” to hold the line on expenses in next year’s budget.
Hughes called the borough’s rising health care costs and potential capital planning expenditures “the 800 pound gorillas in the room,” but said work to address them will continue next year.
In other business at the meeting, councilman Earl Hill was recognized for his service on council, which officially comes to an end Dec. 31. A cake was served following the meeting, which was council’s last of 2023.
For his commitment to the borough as an elected official and volunteer with organizations such as the Hellertown Historical Society, Mayor David Heintzelman proclaimed Dec. 4, 2023 “Earl Hill Day” in the borough, and Hill had the honor of adjourning the meeting one last time.
Above, as family members look on, Hellertown Mayor David Heintzelman administers the oath of office to Ofc. Dominick Fragano after Fragano was appointed interim borough police chief at Monday’s borough council meeting. Heintzelman said Fragano has stepped up to fill the needs of the community since former chief Robert Shupp III resigned.
Heintzelman also administered an oath to Ofc. Dominick Fragano, a long-time member of the Hellertown Police Department who unanimously was appointed interim police chief in a vote by council at the meeting.
Since former chief Robert Shupp III resigned in October amid a payroll discrepancies investigation that’s been turned over to state officials, Heintzelman said Fragano has gone above and beyond in his service to the borough.
In related business, council unanimously passed motions to have the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association conduct a full operational assessment of the Hellertown Police Department and assist the borough with its search for a new police chief. Both actions will be funded with money received from the American Rescue/CARES Act.
Council also unanimously approved nearly $4,200 for security camera upgrades around Hellertown Borough Hall, including the purchase of a camera for the police department’s evidence room.
