Tamaqua will have a new garbage hauler in July.

Council reviewed three bid offers received and awarded a one-year contract to Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling, in the amount of $525,600.

Council opted not to take the three-year contract option, despite a significant cost savings, due to concerns over the service provided by the hauler.

“We need to be sure the community is taken care of,” said Councilman Ron Bowman. “You want to see that you don’t have to have borough workers following behind them with speedy dry, because you’ve got hydraulic oil squirted all over the street.”

Council President David Mace said that he did understand the performance concerns, but said there was “merit” to discussing locking in the three-year price.

“The risk is that we’re stuck in that if they show poor performance,” he said.

Mace said that the borough will have an opportunity to extend the garbage contract after one year, but as the borough is not locked in to the price, it could increase substantially.

The next lowest bid came from J.P. Mascaro & Sons, in the amount of $798,948 and the borough’s current hauler County Waste submitted a bid of $865,200.

Borough manager Kevin Steigerwalt said that he had spoken to representatives from the company to see why the bid increased so much. The current contract was awarded in 2016 for $408,276 annually.

Steigerwalt said that the bottom has fallen out of the market in recyclables and the current hauler was having issues maintaining labor.

“He’s losing money on the current contract,” said Steigerwalt.

Councilman Ritchie Linkhorst then asked about the amount of money Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling was “leaving on the table.”

“What if all of a sudden they can’t fulfill the obligation,” he asked.

After more discussion, council voted to award the bid to Tamaqua Transfer & Recycling for one year, with the option to extend it for year two and three.

“This will still be $100,000 more than we’re paying per year now,” said Mace. “Any of the options will be an increase.”

Mace and Councilman Tom Cara voted against the one-year contract.

Steigerwalt recommended that the borough review the current garbage fees to make sure they are in line with the new bid.

Council will discuss with the current vendor how to return the recycling bins that were provided by the company.

Steigerwalt said that the most likely scenario would be that on the last day of recycling pickup, the company would just send along a truck to pick up the cans after the recycling is collected.

With the new provider, recyclables can be placed out in any container, he explained.