WB Council sets special meeting to reduce meter rates, bag costs

WILKES-BARRE — City Council scheduled a special public meeting for 5 p.m. on June 30 to vote on lowering the hourly parking meter fee and the cost of garbage bags residents must purchase for curbside pickup.

Council took the initial step toward reducing the fees when it unanimously approved the first reading of two ordinances containing the changes during the June 17 public meeting at City Hall. A second and final vote on the ordinances by the five-member Council is necessary to lower the costs. The new rates would go into effect 10 days after approval.

Earlier this month Mayor George Brown proposed cutting the $2 meter fee in half to $1.

“I, like many residents and business owners, believe the rates were set too high under the previous administration,” Brown said in his June 11 “State of the City” streamed on the city’s Facebook page.

The higher rate was put in place by former Mayor Tony George in 2018, but it hasn’t delivered on generating the $1 million in budgeted revenues.

Most of the restrictions in place for the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted and businesses downtown have been operating at full capacity. Employees are beginning to return to their downtown offices to work as well, Brown explained his proposed reduction.

“My goal is to have a downtown that has a parking meter rate that is fair and reasonable and conducive to helping downtown businesses once again thrive,” Brown said.

The lower cost for garbage bags also would help residents. The price of five large bags would drop to $10 from $13. Similarly, the price of five small bags would decrease to $6.25 from $9.25.