Sharpsburg residents can have say in garbage collection cost increase

Sharpsburg residents will pay more for garbage collection in the new year, but they’ll have a say in how much bills will increase.

Property owners are asked to complete an online survey to help council choose from several options in the Waste Management contract.

The survey is available at https://forms.office.com/pages or also on the borough’s website at sharpsburgboro.com.

Councilman Jon Jaso said the board is elected to make the best decisions for the residents, though council can’t do much about the impending hike in prices.

“There is not much to choose from,” he said.

Residents pay $18 a month for unlimited service currently.

The options in the new contract would be $23 a month for limited service or $53 a month for unlimited.

“Folks are going to have to make some adjustments should we decide to go limited but I believe that those adjustments are a lot better than increasing costs by 300%,” Jaso said.

With limited waste service, Waste Management would only collect trash from a provided trash bin. Trash outside the bin or next to the bin would not be collected.

One bin would be provided by Waste Management at no cost. Residents can choose a 32-gallon, 64-gallon, or 96-gallon bin.

Residents can get up to two additional bins one-time at cost of $75 for each 32-gallon bin, $85 for each 64-gallon, or $100 for each 96-gallon bin. The monthly collection charge would not change for residents getting additional bins.

Borough council hopes to receive much community input to help guide its decision.

The options chosen by council will apply to all residents, according to an online post by Manager Christine DeRunk.

Residents do not have the ability to customize Waste Management services to their individual preferences.

The survey is due by Dec. 20.

Other survey questions pertain to yard waste pickup, which would cost $1.50 a month, and recycling, which would cost $7 a month. According to the survey, curbside recycling would include a bin at no charge to residents.

Jaso said he favors the recycling option only if Waste Management can guarantee that the items will be recycled.

“But they will not and cannot guarantee this,” he said, adding that many of the items end up in a landfill.

“I just cannot impose another $84 a year onto residents that are already facing crushing costs,” he said.

“Everyone is feeling the pain, and it really stinks around the holidays, but these increases are going to greet everyone in the new year. We are all going to have to tighten our belts and make due with less.”