Beginning with the calendar year 1978 and for each year thereafter,
there is hereby imposed an annual charge upon the owners of the properties
served or to be served, including those owners of property to whom
service is available, whether or not such property owners choose to
use such service, for the collection of refuse and garbage in the
Borough of Ridley Park.
The annual charge shall be fixed by resolution of the Council
from time to time and shall be sufficient to meet any percentage of
or all of the expenses of municipal garbage and refuse collection.
Furthermore, said charge shall be made against each separate living
unit of a property served or to be served.
All properties used as personal residences shall be served with
municipal garbage and refuse collection except multiple-family residences
where the number of separate living units exceeds four.
All funds received as a result of said annual charge shall be
kept in a separate account known as the "Refuse Fund."
All refuse and garbage shall be prepared and collected in accordance
with rules and regulations which the Council of Ridley Park may from
time to time adopt.
All bills for refuse and garbage removal shall be prepared and
mailed to the property owners of affected properties at the same time
as the real estate tax bills for the year for which the charge is
being made, and such bills shall be for the full calendar year. No
refunds or rebates will be allowed, nor may any bills be apportioned
for any part of the year, except where there is new construction.
The bill will be computed from the date of occupancy thereof until
the end of the calendar year. The foregoing direction with respect
to the preparing and mailing of bills shall be considered directory
and not mandatory, and the failure to do so within the time specified
shall not invalidate any bill prepared and sent thereafter.
[Amended 12-28-1978 by Ord. No. 960]
The face amount of all bills shall be payable by the property
owner on or before the deadline stated on said bills, which deadline
shall be not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days from the date
of the mailing of said bills. If said bills are not paid by the stated
deadline, they shall bear an interest penalty of 10% per annum until
paid in full. All taxpayers subject to the payment of said tax for
the collection of refuse and garbage by this article shall be entitled
to a discount of 2% on the amount of such tax upon making payment
of the whole amount thereof within 60 days of the date of the mailing
of said bill.
The commission to be paid to the collector of Borough refuse
and garbage fees is hereby fixed at 1 1/2% on all refuse and
garbage fees collected.
[Added 12-28-1978 by Ord.
No. 960]
A. The Tax Collector shall prepare a list of all unpaid trash and refuse
tax bills as of December 31 of the year in which the tax was imposed
or assessed. Said list of delinquent taxpayers shall be delivered
to the Borough Secretary on or before the first Monday of February
of the succeeding year.
B. The Borough Secretary, under the direction and supervision of the
Solicitor, shall send a notice letter to said delinquent trash and
refuse taxpayers, certified mail, return receipt requested, demanding
full payment of the tax due, together with interest as allowed by
law. Said delinquent notice shall require full payment within 30 days
of the date of mailing.
C. If full payment is not received within the time limit, the Borough
Secretary shall prepare a nontraffic citation charging the delinquent
taxpayer with violation of this article. Said citation shall be signed
by the Chief of Police of Ridley Park and filed with the District
Justice of the Peace for District Court 32-2-11, Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.
The use of a criminal complaint as an enforcement mechanism is permitted,
and the Tax Collector is hereby authorized to execute a complaint.
[Amended 12-11-1984 by Ord. No. 997]
D. The penalty to be imposed for failure to pay the delinquent trash
and refuse tax, together with interest within the time limit contained
in the Secretary's delinquent taxpayers' notice, shall be
a fine of $10, plus court costs, plus mailing costs of $2.50.
[Amended 12-11-1984 by Ord. No. 997]