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PIAA Team Wrestling Championships: Lake-Lehman, Hazleton Area fall in first round

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Felony sex charge withdrawn against WB man

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A deadlocked vote Thursday on the increased recycling fee will lead to another attempt to pass it and use the additional revenue to balance the city&#8217;s $50.4 million general fund budget.</p><p>Council vice chairman Bill Barrett and councilwoman Beth Gilbert opposed the $10 hike that would raise the annual cost to $60. Council chairman Mike Belusko and councilman Mike Merritt supported it.</p><p>Councilman Tony Brooks was excused from the regularly scheduled public meeting and did not vote on the second and final reading of the ordinance to amend the city&#8217;s Code of Ordinances to include the higher fee. The added cost would increase the line item revenue to $840,000 annually from $700,000.</p><p>City Attorney Tim Henry said there would be another try when all five council members are present. &#8220;We&#8217;ll do a second reading when we have a full council,&#8221; Henry said.</p><p>The ordinance passed a first reading Jan. 24 with Barrett, Belusko, Brooks and Merritt voting to advance it. Gilbert was excused from that meeting. Barrett explained his reversal on the second reading, saying he was &#8220;not a big fan of these to begin with.&#8221;</p><p>By a 4-0 vote, council approved two other items on Thursday&#8217;s agenda:</p><p>&#8226; The first reading of an ordinance to vacate an unused section of Corbett Lane in the city&#8217;s East End.</p><p>&#8226; Keeping in place temporary stop signs at the intersection of North Main and Maple streets in the city&#8217;s North End for a 90-day trial period. The signs were installed to change the flow of traffic during the sewer line construction project that has since been completed on North River Street.</p><p><strong>In other business</strong></p><p>&#8226; Unrelated to the council meeting, the city said it has retained it Class 6 rating through the National Flood Insurance Community Rating Service Program. The rating is the highest among the 34 participating communities. As a result of flood mitigation steps taken by the city, flood insurance policyholders in designated Special Flood Hazard Areas can qualify for a 20 percent discount in premium costs. Policyholders in the city in Zone X protected by the Wyoming Valley Levee System can qualify for a 10 percent discount.</p><p>&#8226; The city said its 2019 calendar has been delivered.</p><p>Residents who did not receive a calendar can call the Mayor&#8217;s Helpline at 570-821-1111 to request one. The calendars are also available in the Tax Office on the first floor of City Hall, 40 E. Market St. It can be viewed on the city&#8217;s website at www.wilkes-barre.city under the <a href="https://www.wilkes-barre.city/sites/wilkes-barrepa/files/uploads/2019_city_calendar.pdf" target="_blank">calendar tab</a> on the homepage.</p><p>The calendar runs from February to January 2020 because many of the meeting and event dates are decided on each January. Included in the calendar is the new schedule for certain holiday pickups.</p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre council needs another attempt at passing higher recycling fee