Trash-collection rates turning into a real dumpster fire

Jan. 20—Grove City Borough Manager Vance Oakes wasn't surprised that the town's recent garbage collection contract price surged.

Nonetheless, "I'm shocked," Vance said. "We're all in complete shock here."

Jerry Bowser, general manager for Grove City-based Tri-County Industries which the town signed a contract with, said Vance had the right response.

"I've been telling all of our communities that we serve to get prepared for a real shock on prices," Bowser said.

Garbage bills for residents and small businesses in Grove City were around $16 monthly. The new monthly bills: $32.75, or $98.25 a quarter.

Like other businesses, trash collection companies are feeling the bite of surging prices, Bowser said. Gasoline and diesel costs have risen sharply over the past couple years, and there's a dire workforce shortage.

A typical garbage truck gets 3 miles per gallon, Bowser said.

And Tri-County's starting pay for drivers is now $24. The position requires drivers to have a commercial driver's license, be drug-free and show up promptly at work.

"It's really hard to get drivers," Bowser said. "And it's even harder to find mechanics who can work on the trucks."

The borough of Mercer just approved a contract with Tri-County that also doubled in price to $111 quarter, up from the old $49.50 rate.

Mercer Councilman Aaron Sines said he was as upset as anyone over the price increase.

"But this is the only bid we got," Sines said. "There were no other choices."

The city of Sharon posted Friday on its Facebook page that rates will double Feb. 1 under a new, 5-year contract with Tri-County. Sharon joins other communities in collective bidding through Mercer County Regional Council of Governments. But when COG solicited bids in November, but Tri-County was the only bidder. The city's efforts to find others failed.

And it's these repeated single bids that has led to cries about the lack of competition.

Like Mercer and Sharon, Tri-County was the only bidder for Grove City's contract.

"I contacted Waste Management and asked them to please give us a bid," Vance said. "But they told me they can't get enough trucks or people to do it."

Tri-County is in the same fix.

"I can't take on new customers," Bowser said. "Along with the lack of workers, it now takes a full year to get a new truck. There's no way I can expand our business now."

It's virtually impossible to compare one community's trash collection contract with another's. Each municipality has its own quirks, such as population — are residents tightly packed into a city, or are they spread out across a rural location?

And contract terms can vary greatly.

Grove City, for example, pays a variable rate on the amount of tonnage Tri-County picks up.

"That's the only contract we have that's like that," Bowser said.

Other contract terms can vary greatly, such as wither there's an unlimited amount of trash that can be picked for each customer or limiting it to a single toter. In the latter case, residents who can't fit all their trash into a toter can typically buy special tags for each garbage bag to handle the rest.

And recycling also can generate a bigger bill.

Pine Township, which is adjacent to Grove City. has no contract with a waste hauler. So each resident and business is responsible for finding their own.

Serafine Hauling in Slippery Rock has been making inroads in Pine Township and surrounding area.

"Let's hope things get better," Vance said.