Weatherly Borough Council on Monday handled two matters related to electric service in the borough.

Council will advertise an amendment to an ordinance requiring inspections for reconnections of electrical service.

Borough Manager Harold Pudliner pointed out last month when council discussed the amendment that the borough has been called to reconnect service to buildings that have been vacant for a year or more.

Some have wires hanging or broken pipes, which pose a hazard if service is reconnected, he said.

Under the change, the borough code officer would inspect the property before electricity is restored.

Council also approved a resolution to raise its monthly service charge for electricity by $1.41 a month from $7.50 to $8.91.

Councilman Michael Bellizia said that he has been blasted by residents regarding the electricity rates, and pointed out that other communities have higher rates than the borough.

He pointed to Tamaqua, where people are able to shop for their electricity supplier and the metered rate is $70, compared to Weatherly’s, which just went to $8.91 a month.

“Tamaqua’s is like $70,” Bellizia said. “So if you have a garage that you don’t ever use, your monthly bill is 70 bucks.”

If people want to see a true rate for electricity, then they should take the total electric bill and divide it by the usage. That is the true number, he said.

“Weatherly’s number was lower than Tamaqua when you do the math,” Bellizia said.

He pointed out that Weatherly raised its rate 15% this year as the result of increases in wholesale electricity rates from the PJM Interconnection. Tamaqua’s rate went up 19%, he said.

In other business, council decided on the following:

• Granted permission to the Weatherly American Legion 360 to host a Memorial Day parade on May 26, and donated $500 to the post. The post welcomes parade entries, but asks entrants to avoid politics or social justice issues.

• Tabled a key lockbox ordinance to allow the fire company to approach businesses regarding the cost of the boxes required under the measure.

• Approved a request from the tax collector to destroy records.

• Approved placing a pickup truck for sale on Municibid.

• Approved the Weatherly Hillclimb Association to use borough parking lots at the trailhead, borough building and park for events this year. The association plans to run a shuttle from the lots to its events.