Nanticoke City Mayor Kevin Coughlin swears in new full-time Nanticoke City police officer Joseph Sauers during Wednesday’s council monthly meeting.
Margaret Roarty | Times Leader
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Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected to show that there is no increase in real estate taxes in 2024.
NANTICOKE — City council at Wednesday’s monthly meeting gave final approval for the 2024 budget, which will mean an increase in trash and recycling fees for residents.
Council members who were present voted unanimously on second reading to raise garbage refuse fees from $258 to $415 per year.
Council member Lesley Butczynski and City Manager Donna Wall were excused from the meeting.
If a resident pays the fee in full by Jan. 31, the fee would be discounted to $395. There also would be an option to pay in three installments of $138.33.
Accounts that do not pay in full or pay the first installment by Jan. 31 would be considered delinquent, the fee would increase to $456.50, and they would no longer be eligible for installment payments.
The maximum amount of four bags per collection will remain.
The increase spurred much debate during the Nov. 15 meeting, at which council approved a $1.5 million bid from JP Mascaro and Sons for trash, recycling and yard waste collection beginning in 2024 and ending in 2026, with the option of extending the contract for two additional one-year periods thereafter.
There will be no increase in real estate taxes in 2024.
There will also be a slight increase in real estate taxes in 2024. The rate will remain at 5.9258 mills.
A mill is $1 for every $1,000 in assessed property, and 1 mill would equate to $100 more annually for a property assessed at $100,000.
The earned income tax rate will stay at 2.25% and sewer fees will remain at $125 per year.
Other action
Also at the meeting:
• Council approved the appointment of Lee Wompierski to the City of Nanticoke General Municipal Authority to fill the seat vacated on Oct. 23 by Xavier Berzanski because he relocated his primary residence to a different municipality.
• Coughlin swore in Joseph Sauers as a new full-time police officer.
• Fire Chief Mark Boncal announced the results of the city’s Fire Insurance Rating test, which was conducted in October by the Insurance Services Office (ISO). Nanticoke received a score of 4 out of 10 — with 1 being the best and 10 being the worst — which is the rating it held previously.
The Fire Insurance Rating test is conduced every five years to assess the quality of the equipment and training of a fire department.
• Boncal also gave an update on when Nanticoke can expect to receive the two new fire trucks it previously purchased, with a tentative delivery date being pushed to the end of 2025.
According to Council President William Brown, the new equipment is valued at approximately $2 million. Boncal added that with these updates, all of the apparatuses in the fire department will be under 20 years of age for the first time.
• Council approved the resignation of Code Enforcement Officer James Kairo, effective Dec. 1, 2023.
• Council voted to amend the Non-Uniformed Pension 2024 MMO from $89,472 to $89,551.
The next council meeting is scheduled for Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.