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Washington council tables motion on garbage contract

By Paul Paterra staff Writer ppaterra@observer-Reporter.Com 3 min read
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Washington City Council tabled a motion Thursday to award a contract for solid waste collection.

“There was just a lot of information to go through,” said Mayor Scott Putnam. “We had multiple options to look at from three different providers so we’re just making sure we’re making the best decision.”

Bids were opened Monday from three companies. Big’s Sanitation, Waste Management and Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill, which owns current hauler County Hauling, each submitted a five-year package. Proposals were sought for multiple options, two for the traditional method of trash collection and one for automated pickup.

The current five-year pact ends in late December.

City Administrator Donn Henderson said Monday that residents can expect annual increases totaling up to about 30% throughout the term of the contract. The current annual rate for collection is $243, in place since 2013.

Putnam said council hopes to vote on the new deal in October.

Washington also received a clean audit report for 2022 from the firm of Palermo/Kissinger & Associates.

“We got a good audit report from our auditors,” Putnam said. “Our long-term debt should be expired by the end of 2026. We’re still making good use of the taxpayers’ money.”

Council also gave the solicitor permission to complete title searches for eight city properties for which demolition hearings will be held in October.

The properties are: 989 Arch St., 45 Burton Ave., 493 Ewing St., 475 Ewing St., 352 S. Main St. (a commercial property), 916 Addison St., 23 Gibson Ave. and 801 1/2 E. Maiden St.

The Pride in Washington Award for the third quarter of the year was presented to Fern Sibert. Sibert led efforts this year to collect bottle caps for the ABC Promise Partnership, in tandem with Green Tree Promises LLC., which were upcycled into eco-friendly park benches. She also leads seasonal highway beautification projects.

“(It’s) for everything she does for the city,” Putnam said. “From cleaning up the parks from the benches with the bottle caps, she’s just very engaged with the city of Washington.”

Sibert said she did not feel she was deserving of the honor.

“That is was a very nice reward,” she said. “I do not feel deserving because I believe it’s everyone’s responsibility to take pride in where they live. Because God has told us to be good stewards of everything that he has given us and that includes the city of Washington, PA, where we live.”

Council also unanimously approved sponsorship of the Washington City Mission request of a state $250,000 Local Share Account grant for construction of a $5.5 million, 50-bed shelter for women.

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