Slatington residents will see an increase in their garbage rates this year.

Borough council on a 6-0 vote last week adopted a resolution establishing the fee for garbage and refuse removal.

As a result, the fee for garbage and refuse collection disposal will increase from $80 per quarter to $90 per quarter.

Councilman Ron Kratz was absent.

At a special meeting last month, council adopted this year’s budget with a 1-mill tax increase. Councilmen Zacharia Halkias and William Schippers were opposed.

This year’s budget set the tax rate at 7.875 mills.

As part of the budget, the fire tax increased from 0.625 mill to 0.725 mill.

However, there are no increases in water or sewer rates.

In other business, council:

• Approved a resolution providing for the wages of certain employees of the borough for 2025.

• Agreed to implement a purchase card program boroughwide for efficiencies and improved monitoring of speed.

• Discussed Lehigh Engineering specific contract continuation, as there are two projects underway (100 Steps/Fifth Street), and the borough will work with Lehigh Engineering through completion, rather than transfer those to Acela.

• Agreed to advertise the proposed billing for the fire company. This proposed resolution that would be adopted with the ordinance setting forth to breakdown costs.

• Adopted a resolution on the agreement with PPL for the conversion of streetlights to LED. The agreement is to replace the mercury vapor streetlights with LED to save on energy costs.

• Approved a proposal from the Springside Sportsman Club to modify its hatchery, contingent on review of plans. The club will construct a roof over its hatchery.

• Approved the use of an easement for parking at the Masonic Lodge. An agreement is being drawn up to memorialize the agreement and provide the parameters for the easement use.

• Approved a resolution establishing payments into the police pension fund by members for the year 2025.

• Approved a resolution to appoint Campbell, Rappold & Yurasits as auditor for fiscal year 2025.

• Approved a resolution establishing borough fees and charges for borough services or for the use of borough facilities for fiscal year 2025.

• Approved a resolution appointing Elite Revenue Solutions to serve as the delinquent tax collector for the borough real estate tax for 2024.

• John Lee, who is an architect for the owner, plans to design a roughly 1,700-square-foot house for the property at 105 Sixth St. (Kern Alley). Council referred the matter to the borough’s Water/Sewer/Highway Committee.