California seeking new waste hauler contract
CALIFORNIA, Pa. — Borough council voted to advertise for a new waste hauler at its regular monthly meeting, after its current waste hauling provider notified the borough that it would not continue services there.
The six council members present voted unanimously to advertise for a new waste contract because Advanced Disposal declined to exercise the second year of a two-year option for providing services to the borough. Officials must now find a successor by January 1 to avoid service interruption.
Borough Solicitor Thomas Agrafiotis said that the borough would be seeking a three-year contract with two one-year options, the same as its previous contract. Other requested services would include twice-a-year electronic recycling, two weeks of daily service at the beginning and end of each California University of Pennsylvania semester and a change in weekly pickup from Friday to Monday, which Borough Administrator Richard Martin said would help with cleanup efforts following weekend parties.
A facility to which Advanced Disposal would take electronic recyclables for a “very small” fee burned down earlier this year, Martin added, suggesting that that was one of the reasons that the company declined to extend its contract with the borough.
“I’m afraid that a small company’s not going to be able to accommodate a lot of that stuff, especially the electronic recycling,” Council President Patsy Alfano said.
In other business, council member Anthony Mariscotti said that the power supply at last month’s fourth annual California Riverfest was “not adequate.”
“They were blowing breakers left and right down there,” Mariscotti said, adding later that he thought the Riverfest, which took place was a great success nevertheless.
Borough Street Commissioner Jeff Tuday said he thought the issue wasn’t a lack of power but inferior equipment, including old ground fault circuit interrupters, which protect against electrical shock.
Additionally, council reinstituted its Junior Council Person Program, with Martin introducing Michael Goroncy, a senior at California Area High School, as a speaking, nonvoting member of council. The Junior Council Person Program is sponsored by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs.