Resolution 2014-50 was passed at the Dec. 1 Emmaus Borough Council meeting which amends the scheduled fees and charges for permits and services in Emmaus.

Council member Brent A. Labenberg said one of the changes is to the summer program.

"We're increasing the fee from $25 to $40 because we want that to be paid for by the fee itself, so the borough isn't contributing any taxpayer money."

Emmaus Borough Manager Shane Pepe said the labor rates, including police and public works rates were also adjusted.

"The bottom line is we're conducting services outside the normal scope of taxpayer dollars, and the taxpayers should not be losing money on that."

Resolution 2014-51, which was also passed, establishes refuse collection and compost site assessment. The fee for 2015 will be $287 per unit if paid before April 6. If paid off before March 6 the fee will be $277. Depending on when the fees are paid, it is a $25 to $35 reduction from the previous year.

Resolution 2014-52 was passed which will allow the office of Dimmich and Dinkelacker to be the delinquent tax collector for the borough.

Council also voted to appoint Cindy Feinberg and Associates as a realtor for the purpose of assisting the borough in future real estate transactions.

Several first readings of ordinances passed with a 7-0 vote.

The first two dealt with the changing of the definition of the word spouse. According to the common laws of Pennsylvania, spouse now means anyone recognized by a marriage license in any state. Ordinance No. 1115 will "amend the code of ordinances entitled Borough of Emmaus Police Pension Plan in order to comply with the state laws and regulations in effect as of May 20, 2014" while ordinance No. 1116 will "amend the code of ordinances entitled Borough of Emmaus Employees' Pension Plan in order to comply with the state laws and regulations in effect as of May 20, 2014.

Ordinance No. 1117 is "an ordinance amending chapter 15 of the codified ordinances." Council President Lee Ann Gilbert said this ordinance deals with "new fines associated with certain sections of the vehicle code and borough ordinances dealing with parking."

Ordinance No. 1118 read as follows: "ordinance levying taxes for the fiscal year 2015 for the Borough of Emmaus at the rate of 5.1565 mills pursuant to section 1310 of the borough code of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and revenue neutral levy based on the 2013 Lehigh County tax reassessment, split between the general fund tax of 4.5254 mills and the creation of a fire fund tax of 0.6311 mills."

"It only increases the fire fund; can we know what the increase actually was in millage and what that is per average resident for the public?" Labenberg asked.

According to Pepe, the fire fund tax will have households paying an additional $4 to $6.

"The reason for the fire fund tax also increasing is due to the legal fees of the fire issue that we're going through, just so the public knows why the tax is being increased," Councilman Nathan Brown said.