City to take over trash bill collection; Berkheimer will still handle taxes
By Kyle Carrozza, Staff Writer, The Times
Newly elected Council President Linda Lavender-Norris (right) and Vice President Marie Lawson (left) discuss budget items.
COATESVILLE – City Council discussed steps for ensuring the collection of solid waste bills and passed a proposal to change billing practices at Monday night’s meeting.
The item passed Monday night will allow the city to use software to better organize and access trash bills in an effort to combat the trash bills that have gone unpaid. The new system is set to eventually replace Berkheimer Tax Administrator in collecting trash bills but will not affect other services that Berkheimer provides to the city. Acting City Manager Michael O’Rourke said that he would talk with local banks to investigate the possibility of allowing residents to pay bills online.
Council members said they hope that having the bills handled by the city will curb some of the collection problems.
“To me, it’s a step in the right direction because now it’s in house—whether we use it or not is a different story,” said council member Ed Simpson.
Council member Joe Hamrick said that he agrees with Simpson’s earlier assessment, that the city should go door-to-door in order to ensure residents’ billing information is correct. Meanwhile, Council President Linda Lavender-Norris said that she is frustrated with the lack of action on Berkheimer’s part. She said that billing information should have been corrected when the new trash cans were distributed. She also said that Eagle Disposal, who distributed the trash cans and collects trash for the city, did not deliver on their promise of computer chips in each trash can to help with billing efforts.
During public comment, Paul Evans of the Coatesville Housing Association said that one of his fellow landlords indicated that Berkheimer was sending solid waste bills and real estate tax bills to the wrong owner and address. That landlord went to Berkheimer to pay those bills, but the company refused to take his money.
Also during public comment, residents questioned some of the city’s expenses in light of the deficit that the city is facing for 2015. Khadijah Al-Amin, also of the CHA, pointed out multiple expenses including a cell phone bill and food paid for on a city credit card. Public Works Director Donald Wilkinson said that the food was purchased for city employees while they plowed last winter.
“If we had the money, I wouldn’t have a problem getting the guys a sandwich, but we don’t have the money,” responded Al-Amin.
Joseph Leofski from the CHA pointed to expenses such as cold medicine, cough drops, and allergy medicine that he felt were frivolous or that employees should pay for out of their own pockets. Lavender-Norris emphasized accountability, saying that council would examine the necessity of such expenses.
“This is your money being spent, as well as our, and we want to be accountable,” she told residents.
City government also discussed filling two positions in coming weeks.
Council members discussed the process for filling the fourth ward council seat abandoned by David Collins. The city will post application forms on its website and hold a public meeting on Feb. 2 at 6:00 to conduct interviews and appoint a new member.
O’Rourke said that he is currently developing a timeline for the application and interview process for selecting a permanent city manager. Candidates will be subject to review by a committee of other city managers, Coatesville officials, and citizens.
Council did make a number of appointments and reappointments on Monday night, approving Tyrone Harley to serve on the Redevelopment Authorty, Donald Folks to the Civil Service Commission, and Diane Brownfield to the Historical Commission. Lavender-Norris declined renewing her seat on the Planning Commission so that she could focus on her duties as council president.
In addition, Paul Trizonis, Henry Asseto, and Denny Pank will serve on the Historical Commission, and Martin Brice will serve on the Police Pension Commission.
