A collection agency is helping Coaldale Borough make progress in their effort to collect more than $100,000 in unpaid garbage bills.

Borough council hired Portnoff Law Associates to take over collections last January after they tried repeatedly to get property owners to pay overdue trash fees.

After one year of work, Portnoff has returned $20,581.49 to the borough, Council President Angela Krapf said.

“Chipping away at it,” she said.

The borough’s garbage fee is $65 per quarter. Council found that some property owners had not paid their bill in more than a decade, but continued to receive garbage collection services.

The Norristown-based law firm is a collection agency for more than 100 municipalities in Pennsylvania. They have previously done work on behalf of Panther Valley School District.

When Coaldale council agreed to work with Portnoff, it appointed them as an assistant solicitor. That means Portnoff has the power to place tax liens on properties that haven’t paid their garbage bills. When a property with a tax lien is sold, the borough gets paid first.

Portnoff can charge a minimum of $160 to review and notify the property owner. If they file a lien, they can charge an additional $250. If the matter continues in court, the fees could increase further.

“What they owe us is basically doubled for what they pay Portnoff,” she said.

In January alone, Portnoff collected $1,374.35.

Councilwoman Claire Remington asked if the process is teaching delinquent property owners to pay their quarterly bills. Borough secretary Suzanne Whildin said some have started to pay on time, while others haven’t.

In other business

Council also:

• Hired James Bonner as a full-time patrolman, at a rate of $23.91 to $24.21 per hour, based on the shift. He will be paid at 80 percent of that during a probationary period.

• Accepted a $3,500 bid for a vacant property at 5 E. Philip St.

• Agreed to a one-year contract with Robert Demyanovich for cleaning services at the Coaldale Complex, for $150 per week.

• Approved $13,800 in contracts with Radocha Excavating to fix a failing storm inlet located on Seventh Street.

• Accepted a request from Police Chief Keith Krapf to make Coal Street no parking between Nov. 1 and April 1. It won’t go into effect until council adopts an ordinance to make it official.

• Agreed to give Coaldale Fire Co. No. 1 access to the municipal building so they can use exercise equipment which council purchased for the police department.

• Hired Jason Binder as a part-time plow driver ($14/hour) and seasonal worker (12/hour).

• Agreed to pay Councilman Francis Hutta $562 for snowplowing services during a recent storm. Hutta, who was participating via telephone, abstained from the vote. Remington said the borough had two broken snowplows, and Radocha Excavating, which usually provides emergency contract plow services, was unavailable, forcing them to use Hutta.