New Kensington residents could see their garbage bills jump by more than 70% next year.
City Council is set to consider a five-year garbage collection contract and set the annual fee during a special meeting beginning at 4:30 p.m. Monday at City Hall.
According to the meeting agenda, council will vote to accept a $15.3 million bid from Westmoreland Sanitary Landfill, the city’s current hauler that operates a waste transportation company under the name County Hauling.
Separately, council will vote on setting the annual fee beginning Jan. 1 at $540. That equates to $135 per quarter.
New Kensington residents now pay $78.13 per quarter, or $312.52 annually.
If approved, the new rate is about 73% higher — an additional $56.87 per quarter, or another $227.48 per year.
Mayor Tom Guzzo could not be reached for comment Friday.
Councilman Todd Mentecki acknowledged residents are facing a “substantial increase.”
“Unfortunately, if they’re the lowest responsible bidder, that’s who we have to go with,” he said.
New Kensington sought garbage collection bids a second time after rejecting the first and only bid it received, from County Hauling, in October. Those five-year costs were higher — $17.7 million with new automated collection and $19.9 million for the existing manual pickup.
The type of pickup in the latest bid was not specified on the agenda.
City Clerk Dennis Scarpiniti previously said the city was going to change its requirements in hopes of getting more bids and lower costs. That was to include the possibility of multiple pickup days across the city instead of the entire city having the same garbage day, currently Fridays.
The city received two bids, according to John Zavadak, the city’s controller.
According to the agenda, the five-year contract includes collection, disposal and processing of municipal solid waste, household hazardous waste and electronic waste.
The annual fee covers collection of solid waste, recycling, leaves and branches.
Residents will be able to comment at the beginning of Monday’s meeting before council votes.
