Sewickley Hills officials extend contract with garbage hauler

Sewickley Hills residents can expect to pay a slight increase for garbage collection next year.

Council unanimously approved a one-year extension of the current three-year contract with trash hauler Valley Waste.

It runs Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2026.

Collection is weekly, with residents billed monthly or quarterly. Recycling is every other week.

According to the contract, the monthly price will increase from $40.05 to $41.56 per month.

Council President Joseph Hajnas said the Beaver County-based company has been the borough’s garbage collector for at least 10 years and there have been no major issues.

Borough Secretary Diana Steele encouraged any residents who do have an issue with Valley Waste and its service to contact the borough office.

The borough offers a rebate program that equates to residents getting $10 off their monthly bill.

That will increase to $11 next year.

Residents can find forms for the rebate on the borough website, sewickleyhills.com.

Rebates are collected at the end of the second quarter. That means people have until the end of June to apply for this year’s rebate offer.

Borough officials said the program helps everyone, especially those who are moving or selling property.

The extension was approved Oct. 14.

Councilman Hunter Hopkins said the contract extension puts the borough in line with garbage contract negotiations with Quaker Valley Council of Governments, which could result in better rates with a multi-municipal contract through the QVCOG.

“We could bid it ourselves or go with the group,” Hopkins said.

Other financial matters

Borough officials are in the process of crafting next year’s budget.

Council briefly talked about the proposed spending plan and timeline for adoption at this month’s council meeting.

The goal is to approve the advertisement of the preliminary budget on Nov. 11.

The final budget is expected to be approved on Dec. 9.

No budgetary figures have been formally released.

However, Hajnas said an early look at the numbers indicated the borough was in good financial shape.

“There is no need or want to raise taxes,” Hajnas said after the October council meeting. “We try to run a very lean ship. We try to be efficient and provide essential services.”

Hajnas said the garbage contract extension does not impact the budget process because trash bills are sent directly to residents. They aren’t paid for through borough taxes like some neighboring communities.