Wilkes-Barre council advances 2026 budget with $50 storm-sewer fee increase after public debate

Wilkes-Barre City Council on Nov. 20 advanced the mayor—s proposed 2026 general fund budget and moved three ordinances forward on first reading, including a $50 increase to the city—s storm/sewer maintenance fee that prompted extended public comment.

At the public-hearing portion of the meeting, resident Beth Anne Petavich said she lives on Gardner Street and asked the council to reconsider plans that would double the sewer fee. "I'm here to speak up about the doubling of the sewer tax," Petavich said, recounting repeated backups that left her car "a total disaster" and raised her insurance rates. She asked the city to add at least two additional catch basins where runoff concentrates.

City staff told residents a drainage inspection team visited the neighborhood and found the system was not laid out correctly; staff said they would reconfigure the drainage and keep residents updated. Officials also explained an accounting change: collections administered by the tax agent Berkheimer are now shown net, and an expected Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority (WVSA) reimbursement of roughly $300,000 tied to Horton Street sewer repairs will not appear as 2026 revenue because it was advanced in prior accounting.

Several speakers urged the council to delay or vote against the fee increase. One public commenter called the proposal "highway robbery" and urged another formal budget hearing; another suggested cuts to union overtime or benefit commitments or, alternatively, a modest mercantile-tax increase. Council members and administration pushed back that roughly 90% of the budget is nondiscretionary (pensions, contracts, debt service) and that limited nonessential spending exists to close gaps.

To lessen immediate household impact, council and staff discussed payment accommodations: early-payment discounts, splitting the charge into two installments, or quarterly billing to reduce the one-time cash burden. Administration said it could accept two installments and still meet cash-flow needs.

The meeting then moved into the regular voting agenda. The clerk called a motion and second for the consent agenda and resolutions (motion by Mister Barrett; second by Mister Berlischko), followed by recorded 'yes' responses from present members. Council later moved the three ordinances as a package (motion by Mister Merrin; second by Mister Barrett) and again recorded affirmative roll-call responses from present members; the items advanced as scheduled on first reading.

What happens next: the sewer-fee ordinance was advanced on first reading as part of the ordinances considered at the session; the council discussed offering installment billing and said staff would return with implementation details. No final adoption date for the budget was set during this session; the ordinances proceeded according to the council—s established calendar.