Gettysburg council adopts ordinance raising trash and sewage rates

Gettysburg council on Nov. 21 adopted Ordinance 2024-5, which amends residential trash and sewage rates, and approved the measure as an emergency so it takes effect immediately. The council recorded each motion as "passed and carried," though individual vote tallies are not specified in the transcript.

Mayor Jon Michael Shives and council members said the change follows discussions with Bradford about planned sewer-rate increases over the next five years. Council members noted there has been no rate increase in 17 years; the mayor and Dan May reported the first increase will be $5, starting in January 2025.

The ordinance progressed rapidly through readings. Dan May moved for the first reading (Valinda Hammons seconded). Council President Valinda Hammons then moved to suspend the rules and give second and third readings by title only (May seconded). Hammons moved to adopt Ordinance 2024-5 (Bob Williams seconded), and she subsequently moved that the adoption be declared an emergency (May seconded). Each motion was announced as passed and carried. The transcript does not list roll-call or individual vote counts.

The council did not provide a detailed rate schedule in the recorded discussion; the transcript only records the $5 initial increase and the five-year framework discussed with Bradford. The ordinance is identified in the record as "Ordinance 2024-5." The council adjourned at 7:33 p.m.

Next steps: the ordinance was adopted as an emergency in the meeting, and the first $5 increase is scheduled to begin in January 2025. Any further adjustments and the full rate schedule were not specified in the meeting record.