Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling is getting a new owner, its president told Lansford Borough Council Tuesday.

Casella Waste Systems of Vermont purchased the trash hauling business and transfer station, Larry Wittig said.

“We signed the agreement last Thursday for settlement Aug. 1,” he said. “The good news is nothing changes.”

Wittig will stay on with the company for three years and the management team at the transfer station also stays the same.

“The only difference is we’ll have nine new trucks that they decided to bring in,” he said, “And they have to honor your contract.”

Wittig explained that he was approached about selling three years ago, but wasn’t interested at the time. Talks became more serious in the past year, he said.

“So when I was here a month or two ago, I was talking about taking the longest period possible, I had this in mind,” Wittig said. “It was for the protection of all my municipalities.

“Without us there, prices are going to go up,” he said.

Lansford Borough locked into a five-year, $3.6 million contract with Tamaqua Transfer earlier this year. That contract nearly doubled the garbage rate for residents from $60 a quarter to $115 a quarter.

“Right now, you are probably at the bottom half of the market price,” Wittig said. “So, you’re locked in. Nothing is going to change.”

Numerous other municipalities, including Summit Hill and Nesquehoning, recently renewed their garbage contracts with Tamaqua Transfer as well.

Wittig said that he spoke to borough solicitor Robert Yurchak about the process, and council will need to ratify the transfer at a future meeting.

Wittig assured both council and residents that they will be able to contact the same people at the company if there are complaints, and they are not going to use the 800 number for Casella.

The regional vice president for Casella was at the Tamaqua Transfer’s facility this week, and Wittig said he was impressed with the operation and Tamaqua Transfer’s service culture will remain.

“We insisted on that,” Wittig said. “Everybody has issues, everybody has problems, but we take care of them, or try to. We’re there. We’re part of the community.

People will see a new name on the trucks, as it will change to Casella, but the local service will stay, he said.

“That culture will stay certainly as long as I’m there.” Wittig said.

Council members and residents were not familiar with Casella, and Wittig explained that they purchased GFL’s footprint, and GFL had purchased County Waste, which extended down from the New York border.