During their regularly scheduled meeting Monday night, the Tallapoosa City Council approved an increase in garbage pickup rates, entered an intergovernmental agreement, selected their Mayor Pro Tem and outlined projects they would like to complete in 2013.

Tallapoosa City Manager Phillip Eidson reported that the cost of garbage collection will go up this month for Tallapoosa residents. The rate will increase by 50 cents per container, raising the cost from $11.90 to $12.40 per month per container. Eidson and Tallapoosa Mayor William “Pete” Bridges said the city was simply passing on the rate increase to the customer as this was an increase implemented by the company the city contracts with.

“From 2004 to 2010 we had no increases in our garbage costs,” Eidson said. “We signed on with the company again in 2010, and this contract doesn’t run out until 2014. At that time, we may be able to renegotiate our rates again.”

The council unanimously approved the rate increase. The council also unanimously approved a nomination for Council member Jacqueline Roberts to continue to serve as Mayor Pro Tem.

In other news, the council approved a motion to go in to an intergovernmental agreement with the county and the other cities in the county to participate in the recently passed excise tax.

As of Jan. 1, a bill approved by the Georgia General Assembly took effect that will phase out any taxes manufacturers pay on the energy they consume. However, of the 7 percent in taxes manufacturers pay, only 4 percent goes to the state. The remaining 3 percent goes to local governments: 1 percent to Local Option Sales Tax (LOST) collections, 1 percent to Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) collections, and 1 percent to Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) collection.

The locally passed energy excise tax was proposed as a replacement for the tax the state eliminated.

Additionally, Bridges reviewed projects the city has completed over the past year as well as projects the city hopes to complete in the next 12 months.

Projects the city completed in 2012 include leasing the old Tallapoosa High School gymnasium; paving Walton, High and Ann Streets; exploring a golf cart ordinance; replacing all water and gas meters with electronic readers; participating in the Façade Grant Program; participating in an “Arbor Day Project,” which planted 40 trees throughout the city; replaced 1.5 miles of cast iron gas pipe with modern piping; and replacing the greens at Tally Mountain Golf Course.

Bridges also said he had plans for the coming year.

“Of course, with the present economy, I realize my enthusiasm far exceeds the amount of dollars we have for these projects, but these are some things I would like to see us accomplish in the coming year.”

Those projects include installing two additional weather sirens in the Bethany and Providence Road areas; beginning construction on Phase 3 of the Tallapoosa StreetScape project; finding a solution for the truck traffic through the downtown area; continuing work on the new recreation complex, renovations at the Tallapoosa Civic Center and upgrades to the amphitheater; improving sidewalks in the downtown area; and adding more tourism activities in the city. The next Tallapoosa City Council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Feb. 11.