Weissport Borough Council voted on Monday to approve the 2022 budget with a tax increase of 1.5 mills. The board discussed whether it would be possible to pass the budget without the increase, but determined that without it, they would not be able to meet their expenses.

Weissport tax collector Lynette Moyer cautioned the council about raising the taxes.

“Carbon County is raising theirs,” Moyer said. “The schools are raising theirs. Now you want to raise yours. All three are raising taxes in one year. Half the people in this town are on fixed incomes. There are about 25% who are working people, and another 25% who are on welfare and don’t pay taxes to the borough.”

The borough last raised taxes 1.5 mills two years ago, which is approximately $50 per house.

Code enforcement

Weissport Borough Council members expressed dissatisfaction with Barry Isett & Associates, the firm hired to handle code enforcement issues for the borough.

“I reached out to him,” Councilman James Osborne said, referring to Tyler Galloway from Isett. “He emailed me back, and I spoke with him on the phone. I told him we need someone here at the meeting, and you need to start giving us a monthly report.

“Tyler keeps telling me, ‘Let us know what you need done,’ which I did several times, and I keep telling him, ‘show up at a meeting; we need you here.’ He says, ‘OK, we’ll get someone there.’ As you see, no one is here.”

Council voted Aug. 2 to hire Barry Isett & Associates at a rate of $75 per hour. Isett’s main office is on Route 100 in Allentown, and operates locally, handling zoning issues for local communities such as Lehighton and Jim Thorpe.

Streetlights

Weissport Borough Council said it will continue to withhold paying PPL’s bill, which is for providing electricity to streetlights on the Weissport Bridge. Three light fixtures have not worked for several years, but PPL continues to bill the borough. Members of council had spoken to PPL several times, and they promised to have someone look at the lights, but that still has not happened.

The current bill is in the amount of $400.80, which includes $90.38 in current charges and $306.91 in past due charges and late fees.

Garages

Weissport’s two new garages have been built, having been constructed about one week ago. The concrete pads had been poured several months ago. After some delays, the new metal structures are up, located at the corner of Allen and Lime streets. Council will be storing equipment and supplies in the new buildings.

“We want to put lights and outlets in the new garages,” Councilman Tom Ketchledge told council. “Also, they have doors but still need to have the door tracks installed.”

Council will look at installing the lights and outlets in the new buildings.

Police report

Police Chief Matthew Williams presented the monthly statistical report from the Weissport Borough Police Department for Nov. 15 to Dec. 6. The report includes three traffic violations, three assists to other police departments; two each traffic citations, domestic disputes, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and ambulance assistance; and one each scattering rubbish, parking violation, quality of life issue, arrest warrant service, and administrative duty. There was also one quality of life ticket and one abandoned vehicle.