Walnutport has opted to go in another direction with its garbage contract.

After an executive session, borough council on Thursday agreed to award a four-year contract to County Waste in the amount of $695,640 from 2021-2024.

The borough received just one other bid, from Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling, the borough’s current trash hauler, in the amount of $717,820.

Councilwoman Jennifer Wentz noted that the bid quotes were a combination of collection and transporting, yearly landfill solid waste disposal cost, and recyclables.

Before council’s decision, several residents asked council to consider a new trash hauler.

Resident Ron Bauer Jr. said he emailed the borough pictures of the problems he’s been having.

“Whoever bids bids,” Bauer said. “But, don’t give the contract to the current hauler.”

Bauer added that he’d rather pay more so long as it meant he would receive better service.

“I think the borough’s had a lot of problems, a lot of complaints,” he said. “Use your head when you vote on it.”

Resident Rodney Hatcher voiced similar dissatisfaction.

“I urge you to consider the current trash hauler, toss him,” Hatcher said. “My property is now run over 10 times, and the destruction continues.”

After the meeting, Larry Wittig, president of Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling, said he wanted to answer the accusations made by Bauer and Hatcher.

Wittig said he’s been to Hatcher’s home on Green Street no less than six times, and has spent about $1,000 fixing his flower bed that is located right next to the alley the garbage truck has to back down, in order to collect the street’s waste.

“True, it is a tight fit, but there is no excuse for hitting it with the tire of the truck,” Wittig said. “In the last four years, which is the length of the contract, we have repaired his area at least three times.

“For Mr. Hatcher to say Tamaqua Transfer was unresponsive is a bare face lie. We have never been cited by the police or had any other legal action taken against us.”

Wittig said when his company was awarded the contact four years ago, he was asked at the council meeting if his company was competent.

“I said, ‘I cannot guarantee that one of my guys will not do something wrong, but I pledge that if that happens I will personally take care of it,’?” he said. “I believe we have gone above and beyond to make things right for the residences of Walnutport.”

Wittig said he never received a complaint from Bauer or from the secretary regarding him.

“These people blindside you at a public meeting with little background or facts, just accusations,” he said.

The borough has been plagued with complaints from the community concerning garbage and recycling pickup for some time.

Council hired Tamaqua Transfer in 2017 to save money and improve customer service for residents.

Due to the change in companies, collection day was changed from Wednesday to Monday morning with every other Monday slated for recycling pickup.