The Derry Borough Council approved a contract extension with Waste Management Tuesday that will result in a roughly 84-cent increase for residents.
The contract extension will go into effect Oct. 1 and run through Sept. 30, 2025.
Standard accounts that receive weekly garbage and bi-weekly recycling pickup will pay $21.96 a month. Those who choose to forgo recycling will pay just $16.22 a month.
The contract also includes a senior rate that will jump to $17.58 in October – a 68-cent increase. That rate includes both garbage and recycling pickup.
Along with garbage and recycling services, residents are also able to have one large item hauled away per month and some hazardous materials.
The borough will have to start no later than February 2025 to begin the bidding process on a new contract, borough secretary Lori Latta said. That would give both the borough and the company awarded the contract enough time to set up operations should Waste Management lose the bid.
But the company has held the contract for nearly 15 years, according to Latta. Past bids by the company have been anywhere from 20-30% less than competitors.
“They’ve been good to us for the last three contracts we’ve been with them,” Latta said.
Most of the complaints Latta and the borough have received have been minimal, she added.
Councilman Jasen Lentz said his issues with Waste Management have been minimal as well, with his only complaint that at times, the company’s customer service is difficult to navigate.
The borough council also approved a new, five-year contract with UniFirst Corp. for public works uniforms and shop rags.
The borough was originally looking to switch providers but discovered it was still under contract with UniFirst. That contract was set to expire in 2027. The new contract will start immediately and run through 2029.
The borough will pay $150.82 per month for the uniform rental and cleaning. That rate is locked in for the duration of the contract and covers two full-time and one part-time employees.
The borough council unanimously approved three ordinance updates that have been worked on for the past few months.
The occupancy ordinance was updated to remove language around the number of occupants who are not related. It was also refined so that it was more practical to enforce.
The borough’s obscene materials ordinance was updated to remove references to homosexuality, something council members said was outdated and possibly violated state and federal law.
The council also approved a vacant property monitoring fee. The ordinance allows the borough to charge property owners a fee for properties that sit vacant for more than 45 days after receiving notice of vacancy, according to Councilman Nathan Bundy. The fee will be set by a resolution to be passed by the borough council.
The borough’s planning commission is still reviewing an update to the zoning’s cultural facilities definition to include theaters.
The borough plans to advertise a resolution to increase its earned income tax from 1% to 1.25%. Before the increase can be voted on, it must be advertised and the borough must allow for public comment.
The borough council also voted to advertise for a code enforcement officer once a job description has been completed. The borough has been looking for someone local who can be proactive in enforcing its ordinances.
The borough is in the process of interviewing new public works employees. Those interviews are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
A search for a planning commission member continues after two applicants were denied due to them not living in the borough. The vacant planning commission seat expires Dec. 31, 2026.
Barbara Phillips said she was “beyond thrilled” to announce Roundhouse Pizza in Derry Borough will sponsor the pool staff’s work shirts for the 2024 pool season.
“Kathy (Crowe) reached out right away as soon as she saw the post and said, ‘I’ll do it,” Phillips said. “We’re thankful for her.”
The pool committee is looking at other sponsorship opportunities, including banners around the community pool.
The borough is planning to remove the pool cover and prepare for the season April 23 at 5 p.m. In the case of rain, the cover will be removed 5 p.m. April 24. The public is invited to attend and help.
Passes for the pool will be sold starting in May.
So far, the committee has set aside a few days for special events like Bring Your Picnic to the Pool night July 4 and four DJ nights. A 21-and-older BYOB DJ party is also scheduled for July 13.
The Derry Borough Council will hold its next meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at AV Germano Hall.
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