Clarks Summit council agrees to five-year garbage contract with J.P. Mascaro & Sons

Christine Lee, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·2 min read

May 31—CLARKS SUMMIT — The borough will pay a significant amount for trash under a new contract, to the alarm of some council members.

Council voted 4-2 to accept a five-year contract with J.P. Mascaro & Sons, with Vice President Josh Mitchell and Councilman Robert Sheils casting dissenting votes. Councilwoman Kathleen Simrell was absent.

Under the plan, the borough will spend between roughly $970,000 and about $1.2 million annually. It includes the cost for collecting trash and bulk items weekly, and recycling bi-weekly for 16 months.

The cost is over 50% more than the $600,000 a year the borough currently pays the Audubon-based hauler, which has collected garbage and recycling since the early 1990s.

J.P. Mascaro also presented a plan, favored by Sheils and Mitchell, where the borough would have paid about $930,000 to around $1 million a year for three years. Mitchell estimated the borough saved about $500 in the fifth year.

Sam Augustine, J.P. Mascaro director of sales and marketing, recommended the five-year contract as it was more secure financially. He said the cost of collecting trash has increased with inflation and landfill regulations, and "we don't expect it to get any better."

Councilman David Jenkins agreed it was the safest option.

Several council members noted the monopoly the company has in the area, which Augustine refuted.

"We have competitors," he said. "We haven't cornered any market."

Mitchell was concerned the lack of bidders for the contract drives up prices. J.P. Mascaro was the lone bidder earlier this month. Several providers attended a pre-bid conference in April, Borough Manager Virginia Kehoe said, but didn't submit bids.

"It's a real concern," Mitchell said.

Kehoe said most residents favored allowing the company to bill for trash collection but suggested forming a committee to determine billing under the contract.

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