Greensburg council's decision to remain with Waste Management will result in immediate savings for senior citizens, according to city officials.

The four-year waste and recycling contract, approved Monday, will run through 2013 and provide some relief for Greensburg residents age 65 and older.

In the first two years of the new contract, senior citizen heads of households are entitled to a 15 percent discount. And a 2 percent discount will apply to anyone making one annual payment.

The new residential rates are: now through Dec. 31, 2011, $42.12 per quarter for non-senior citizens, $35.79 for senior citizens. Starting Jan. 1, 2012, the non-senior citizen rate will be $44.25 per quarter; the seniors rate will be $37.62.

And effective this year, owners of all rental properties - including single-family dwellings - shall be billed and responsible for the payment of accounts at those properties. Tenants receiving invoices from Waste Management should notify their landlords of the billing change.

Also at Monday's meeting, council introduced several amendments to its waste management ordinance: billing the owner of rental structures to include single-family duplex and multi-unit rental properties and recycling paper, plastic, glass and metal in one container.

"We are forcing all the property owners to put the bill in the property owner's name, as opposed to the tenant's name, because we have a large number of rental units in the city and we have had a difficult time trying to collect payments," city administrator Susan Trout said.

"The other thing we changed is to single-stream recycling, where everything [now] is put into one container. The city would provide the container to residents."

In an unrelated item, council approved a reimbursement agreement plan that would allow repairs to a city bridge, informally known as Alley No. 1., off North Urania Avenue and Pittsburgh Street.

Greensburg will pay 5 percent, the state 15 percent and federal government 80 percent of the costs for repairs to the bridge, estimated at about $1 million. The city has paid $6,200, with its total expected to be $55,000. Mayor Karl Eisaman said most of the city's costs would go to engineering fees.

Council also approved an antenna installation agreement between the city and Excela Health Westmoreland Hospital for $3,000. The 9-foot antenna will be placed on the elevator floor of the hospital and will upgrade the police department's communications system.

In personnel items, council reappointed Roxanne Hutchinson and Kathy Sandorf to five-year terms on the Recreation Board. Council also hired three seasonal recreation employees - Matt Basl, Glenn Moyer and Ron Spisso - at a rate of $8.25 per hour as needed.

Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.