READING, Pa. – Reading City Council voted Monday night to amend the city fee schedule to increase the solid waste collection fee to $273.03 from the current $265.08 per unit.
Even though the modest increase amounts to not more than $8, council had no choice since it was agreed upon in the original five-year contract.
In December 2021, a five-year contract was awarded to BFI Waste Services doing business as Republic Services, Ontelaunee Township.
The contract allowed the hauler to make no more than 3% increase in fees per year.
The contract will expire Dec. 31, 2026.
In other business, council voted to amend the blighted property review committee section of the city code to require declarations of blight to be filed with the Recorder of Deeds in order to provide notice to future property owners about the property’s blight certification status.
Also Monday, council approved an ordinance to amend the fire budget by transferring $50,000 from suppression repairs to damaged property to maintenance/repair.
In the 2025 budget, the fire budget assumed responsibility for all fire apparatus repairs and maintenance from public works.
The budget transfer was needed because there have been significant end-of-year expenditures to keep the city’s fire rigs on the road and fully operating.