In most towns, residents have been experiencing shocking increases in garbage collection rates.

Now it’s happening in Summit Hill.

As a result of having a new garbage collection contract, rates will rise 100 percent in 2026.

Presently rates are $240 a year, or $60 a quarter. On Jan. 1, that rate will rise to $120 a quarter or $480 a year.

The borough previously had a five-year contract with Tamaqua Transfer. That contract expires Dec. 31.

Summit Hill solicited bids earlier this year for trash collecting, with Tamaqua Transfer submitting the only quotation at $592,128 per year. The previous contract was $274,484 per year.

The new contract, for four years, totals $2,368,512 and will replace the existing four-year pact that cost the borough $1,097,938.

In August, it was announced Tamaqua Transfer was purchased by Casella Waste Systems of Vermont. However, Casella is obligated to honor the four-year contract that was awarded to Tamaqua Transfer in June.

Borough Council member Lacey Gonzalez said the new rate is based on approximately 1,500 homes and calculated at an 87 percent collection rate.

She said the increase is necessary for the borough to break even on trash collection costs as a result of the new contract amount.

“Unfortunately, we cannot control what happened in that garbage contract,” she said. “It’s unfortunate and out of our control.”

The council voted unanimously on the new rate.

It was also noted that beginning in 2026, Portnoff Associates, which has offices in Allentown and Norristown, has been hired to collect delinquencies in garbage fees.

In another matter, the council hired Diversified Billing Systems for its billing operations in the borough. It will handle bills for the sewer transmission fees as well as trash collecting.

It replaces MuniBilling, whose contract ends on Dec. 31 and only does sewer transmission fee billing.

The cost for Diversified is $5,600 per year for three years, with a one-time setup and training cost of $16,040.

Kira Steber, secretary-treasurer for Summit Hill, said a new contract for MuniBilling would cost $880 a month or $10,560 a year.

She said Diversified offers more billing options. Sometime in the future, it will provide optional electronic billing and even autopay.

In one other matter, borough resident Millie Ashmore suggested that livestreaming occur for borough council meetings.

Council President David Wargo said he doesn’t object if anyone wants to livestream the meetings, but the borough doesn’t “have the resources to livestream.”