Lansdale Borough Councilman BJ Breish was talking some trash at last week’s work session.
“There’s enough interest on committee that we would like to explore the conversation (of a single trash hauler),” Breish said during the public works committee report on Wednesday, according to The Reporter. “We’d like to explore two main options here: one which would be municipal trash, bring it in house. And the other would be single hauler trash, which would be going with a single contractor to manage our trash in the borough.”
Per the report, Breish said the topic is “very sensitive.” The public works committee will continue discussing the matter and Breish urged his fellow councilors to review prior studies.
A report from six years ago estimated a $2.6 million startup cost for a municipal-owned trash collection facility and fleet, per The Reporter, with an annual $1.2 million operating cost at a sacrifice of $20 per month per household.
A single hauler to cover the entire town was estimated in 2016 at $2 million per year, at about $23 per month per household, according to the report.
Read the 2016 Lansdale Borough single trash hauler study here.
“This is something that was discussed at length publicly, before my time here on council. Some of you may be more familiar with it than I am, but we would like to, I think, review it again,” Breish said.
The last time the borough discussed trash was back in 2015 with a detailed study on the matter. Talks initially happened 12 years ago, followed by a survey in 2012 and 2013.
At that time, the survey showed taxpayers and residents were split on personal choice and customer service vs. taxes paying for the service. On one side were those who supported less truck traffic, reduction in pollution and preservation of alleys, and on the other side were those who wanted flexibility and choice to select their own provider.
J.P. Mascaro & Sons nearly had control of the entire borough, but a 7-2 vote against the bid award stopped that from happening. Mascaro was recommended only after a round of incomplete bids and a second round where there was only one responsible bidder, per reports.
A majority of councilors at the time criticized the bidding process.
Read more on the revival of the single trash hauler talks here.
See also:
Towamencin Government Study Commission Discusses Schedule and Spending, Fills 1 Vacancy
Malagari Announces $156,000 Grant to Improve Traffic Safety in Lansdale
Hatfield Township Eyeing New Police Station on Cowpath Road
Lansdale Borough Passes 2023 Budget with 16% Tax Increase
Towamencin Officially Names New Township Manager
