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Lehigh Township approves three‑year compost‑authority agreement despite use‑rate concerns
Summary
The board accepted a three‑year agreement with the First Regional Compost Authority, setting a $3.45 per‑capita fee. Some supervisors urged a one‑year trial because only about 250 residents currently hold access cards.
Lehigh Township voted Jan. 14 to enter a three‑year service agreement with the First Regional Compost Authority (FRCA) that formalizes a per‑capita service charge.
Manager Alice Rehrig explained the FRCA proposal charges participating municipalities on a per‑capita basis using census population figures; the township manager noted the formula is consistent across nine participating municipalities and that equipment and operational costs at the FRCA site are significant.
Supervisor Cindy Miller questioned the fairness of a per‑capita fee when relatively few residents use the site: the minutes record about 250 resident access cards issued versus the township population cited for billing. Miller preferred a one‑year agreement to evaluate actual resident use; other board members favored locking rates for three years to provide stability to the authority. After discussion the board voted to accept the three‑year agreement.
What this means: the township will be charged $3.45 per resident (census basis) annually under the agreement; residents who use the FRCA site will retain access under the municipal arrangement, and the township will continue to transport material as part of current practice where applicable. The board asked for additional operational data (yards hauled, usage statistics) to better compare per‑capita costs with haul‑volume billing alternatives.
Next steps: township staff to track participation and material volumes during the contract term and report back as requested by the board.
