New Christmas lights will be installed on poles in Summit Hill this season, but the borough has learned there’s a surprise price tag attached.

David Wargo, president of Summit Hill Borough Council, said, “PPL pulled a fast one on us.”

He said initially when contacted, a spokesperson at PPL said there would be no sensor fee for the new lights.

Now, he said, the borough was informed the fee for 13 sensors would be $4,745. Wargo said PPL said whoever the borough spoke with previously gave them incorrect information.

The Christmas lights were purchased with money raised privately in the borough by a committee headed by borough council member Marlene Basiago.

Wargo said because of the efforts to purchase the lights by private citizens, he feels the borough should contribute toward the cost of the sensors.

Via a 3-2 vote, the council agreed to contribute $2,500 toward the cost of the sensors.

In favor of the borough contribution were Wargo, Alan Kruslicky and Joe Weber. Opposed were Lacey Gonzalez and Karen Ruzicka. Basiago and council member Ed Kane were absent.

In other business:

• Council decreased the reinspection fee for rental inspections to $100. The borough’s new rental inspection ordinance went into effect this year and the inspection fee for rental units is $205. The borough had also charged a $205 reinspection fee for properties, which didn’t initially pass. Wargo said the engineer doing the inspections doesn’t charge the full price for re-inspections, which allows for the lower rate.

A report during the meeting said there have been 69 rental properties inspected so far and 30 did not pass due to “minor problems expected to be corrected.”

• Council briefly discussed a proposed amusement tax ordinance. Besides applying to gambling machines, the new ordinance would include monetary charges on admission fees to museums and recreation facilities. Nonprofit organizations and dining facilities will be excluded. Wargo said a draft of the ordinance is expected to be available in September.

• Council agreed to hire Portnoff Law Associates to collect delinquent garbage and sewage fees. Presently, late garbage fees are collected by Creditech.

It was suggested that the action be tabled until Portnoff presents a list of rates it charges, but Wargo responded, “Quite honestly, I don’t care.” He added that some of the same people have been on the delinquent garbage list “since I’ve been on council 18 years ago.

Wargo said all lienable items will be collected by Summit Hill borough.”

He said Portnoff collects delinquent real estate taxes and since being hired had collected $147,124.

The council agreed to hold special budget meetings at 7 p.m. on Sept. 15, Oct. 6 and 20, Nov. 17 and Dec. 1.