Bellevue Council will have to decide between PAMS and Jordan Tax Services for collection of borough fees and delinquent taxes, but first may have to decide exactly what fees the companies may collect.

Although the collection fees charged by PAMS are lower, according to council members, the finance committee recommended hiring Jordan to collect sewage, per capita and possibly garbage fees.

Council members Jane Braunlich and Linda Woshner both objected to hiring Jordan because of the higher collection and delinquency fees that would be charged to borough taxpayers.

Council members Mark Helbling and David Gillingham Jr., however, both said PAMS has a bad reputation for customer service.

Officials also were in disagreement over whether garbage fee billing -- currently done in-house -- should be turned over to an outside company.

Gillingham said that property owners currently pay $169 per year for garbage collection. Under the new contract that will go into effect in January, the fee per housing unit will be $139. If the borough charges $12 for collection, he said, that fee will increase to $151.

Waste Management has offered to do the billing for an additional $37 per year, officials said.

Director of administrative services Doug Sample said that PAMS will collect garbage fees for 1.5 percent of the amount collected, while Jordan’s offer is 2 percent. That would cost property owners only $2.08 per year (PAMS) or $2.78 per year (Jordan), based on the $139 fee.

Finance committee chairman Mark Panichella said that moving collection out of the borough hall also would free up a full-time employee for six weeks.