There was plenty of trash talking during a recent Birdsboro Borough Council meeting.
Borough Councilman Steve Lusky made a PowerPoint presentation to council and audience members at the July 17 meeting regarding trash collection.
Birdsboro is a subscription-based trash collection community with no municipal oversight of private haulers contracted by property owners. Lusky proposed a motion to create an ordinance that requires haulers to use the Pioneer Crossing Landfill. The borough receives $1.20 for each ton of waste disposed at this site. Currently, private haulers may empty at any landfill facility they chose.
Lusky’s presentation was not proposing municipal trash collection, also known as, a single-hauler trash collection. He considered his motion as a compromise that will protect residents, borough, and local trash haulers. Lusky brought to council’s attention of a non-local hauler that is causing a stir due to their door-to-door solicitation practices.
“I’m all for open competition, when it makes sense. But, I’m appalled at some of the actions that occur by some of the recent carriers coming in here, and trying to take customers away, and how they go about doing it.”
According to complaints, the company is using non-conventional methods to persuade the competition’s customers.
Lindsey Hahn, office manager and co-owner of Mountz Disposal Service Inc., urged residents to contact their local haulers before committing to any contract by the solicitors.
A motion was made to have Borough Solicitor Terry Weiler draft two ordinances. The first ordinance would require trash haulers to meet insurance, performance and delivery regulations. The motion carried 6-2. Board members opposed were Richard Happel and Robert Myers. The second requires all haulers to dispose the trash at Pioneer Crossing. The motion carried 4-3. Board members opposed were Neil McCauley, Happel, and Myers.
Myers was confounded by a lack of hauler input. Mountz Disposal Services was the only hauler represented at the council meeting. Happel was concerned if residents would be footing the bill so haulers could meet ordinance requirements. Many on council agreed that borough oversight was long overdue.
In other council business, Gavin Kreimendahl was presented with a monetary reward for his honesty and good deed. In December 2016, Kreimendahl discovered a wallet within the borough and brought it to the police department. “I know how important it is to reinforce good behavior, positive behavior, and honesty,” said Police Chief Theodore R. Roth.
