WB City Council OKs permanent use of garbage stickers

Bill O’Boyle, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·2 min read

Jan. 27—WILKES-BARRE — Mayor George Brown's proposal to make garbage disposal easier for residents stuck Thursday, as City Council approved the mayor's request to make the city's sticker system a permanent one.

At Tuesday's council work session, Mayor Brown proposed to give residents the option of using small 15-gallon blue bags that cost $1.25 each, or the stickers, that sell for $2 each and can be attached to any garbage bag.

On a 4-0 vote, council approved amending the city's "Litter and Disposal" ordinance. Council Chair Mike Belusko and council members Beth McBride, Bill Barrett and John Marconi voted for the amendment. Council member Tony Brooks was not present.

In February 2022 the city changed from bags to stickers on a temporary basis, citing production shortages and supply issues with the large blue bags normally used for garbage collection.

The mayor discussed those same issues on Tuesday.

"We can't get a sufficient amount of the large blue bags to take care of the city's needs," Brown said. "I've received positive feedback for the stickers."

Brown noted that the switch would be cost-effective for the city and that the option to use the smaller blue bags made available by the city would still be there.

Council Chair Mike Belusko said that he had also received positive feedback about the city's switch to stickers.

"The sticker system seems to work, it's been working out," Belusko said. "We've always had issues with getting the bags."

Other action

—Council also approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and City Administrator Charles McCormick to submit a Traffic Signal Maintenance Agreement and also to submit future applications for traffic signal approval in writing or by electronic signature to PennDOT.

The intersections mentioned by Mayor Brown at Tuesday's work session were: Hazle Street and Park Avenue; Park Avenue and South Street; Spring Street and Pine Street; Hazle Street and Blackman Street; and Carey Avenue and Old River Road.

—Council also approved the reappointment of Jerry Altavilla to the city's Zoning Hearing Board.

—Angel Mathis of South Franklin Street asked council to look into the city's ordinances concerning rent control. Mathis said she recently was removed from the rent voucher program because of additional income in the household.

"There are a lot of homeless people in the city," Mathis said. "If out of town landlords are allowed to keep increasing rents, there will be many more homeless — families, like mine."

Council and the administration said they would look into the situation to see what can be done.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.