Brackenridge's garbage collection bill to increase 7.7%, with another hike anticipated next year

Brackenridge residents are going to be paying more for garbage collection.

Council is increasing the fee by $5, to $70 per quarter. That’s about a 7.7% hike.

Borough officials said the increase isn’t due to any unforeseen change in the contract with Adamik Refuse, its trash contractor. But they said it’s necessary because the current rate is not enough to cover the contract cost.

“We’re not getting enough funds coming in,” Borough Manager Denise Tocco said.

The borough is in the final year of a three-contract with Adamik that calls for it to pay $28,000 in the first year, $29,000 the second year and $30,000 this year, according to Tocco.

She and former Councilman John Stanzione, who resigned the night the increase was approved because he has moved out of the borough, said it was a combination of factors.

They included fewer residents, particularly in the 1st Ward, Tocco said, and some delinquent bills.

Stanzione, believes however the borough made a mistake in deciding how to pay the contract, saying it should have charged residents more initially and escrowed the excess money collected to help cover the cost in the final year.

“We didn’t charge enough out of the gate,” Stanzione said.

“The bottom line is, you have to raise the rates to pay that contract that we agreed to pay three years ago,” Solicitor Craig Alexander told residents at the March 6 council meeting.

Borough officials said residents should be prepared for costs to rise even more in the next garbage contract as haulers have increased their prices significantly in other municipalities in the past year or two.