Waynesburg OKs seeking bids for new waste agreement with Franklin Twp.
Waynesburg and Franklin Township are seeking bids for a new waste and refuse collection contract.
At a special meeting Monday night, the Waynesburg Borough Council approved bidding documents and a solicitation for bids for the contract, which would run for five years.
Westmoreland Sanitary, under Noble Environmental, currently handles waste and refuse collection for the borough and township. They bid the contract jointly for cost savings and to coordinate pickup days, said Borough Manager Athena Bowman.
Franklin Township’s board also approved going out for bids at its regular meeting Monday, said board Chairman Corbly Orndorff. He said representatives from Franklin Township and Waynesburg met informally with the respective solicitor a couple of weeks ago to discuss changes in the contract language.
The proposed contract will have several differences from the old one. In the new agreement, after 90 days of non-payment, the contractor can post a sticker on the door notifying the resident that they have two weeks to pay before their service is cut off.
Borough Assistant Manager Bryan Cumberledge said the lack of consequences for people behind on their bills had led to many customers amassing large bills. In the receivable sent from Noble this year, 19% of customers were delinquent, with past fees totaling $139,000.
“A lot of renters didn’t care,” Cumberledge said. “They just laughed because they could put the garbage out and they take it.”
Including the new language makes the borough eligible for a discount on the contract, Cumberledge said.
Waynesburg’s borough solicitor will also look at whether they can remove a clause in the current contract that allows the contractor to petition the municipalities for a rate increase at any time.
The borough also added several streets, including Church Street and Veterans Way, to the list of streets that need to be served by smaller garbage trucks.
Waynesburg and Franklin Township had discussed adding recycling, but decided against it due to cost, said council member Lynne Snyder.
“I think that’s a shame,” she said. “I think it’s outrageous that they charge more when it’s the customer that’s doing the breaking down and all that,” she said.
Bids are due by 1:30 p.m. Oct. 26., and will be opened at 2 p.m. at the Franklin Township offices.
Bowman said the Waynesburg council will vote on the contract at its regular November meeting after it has been reviewed by the borough solicitor.