Whitehall Township Mayor Edward D. Hozza Jr. at the board of commissioners workshop on Monday minced no words in stating J.P. Mascaro & Sons, the township's current hauler for curbside refuse and recyclable materials, should not be awarded a new five-year contract when the commissioners vote.

Both Mascaro and Waste Management Inc. have submitted bids. The commissioners discussed the issue at their workshop Monday. At their Dec. 8 meeting, the commissioners are expected to vote to award a contract for the collection and transportation of solid waste and recyclables.

"The issue at hand is the volume of complaints from our residents regarding our present hauler – mixed pickups, foul language, public urination, over the last five years," Hozza said near the conclusion of a lengthy presentation and discussion on which direction the township will take in the next five years.

This could result in dramatic changes regarding refuse and recyclable materials collection.

"What is best for the people of Whitehall Township is to go back to the other bidder, Waste Management," Hozza said. "The real issue before the board of commissioners is this, does the bid from the current curbside hauler, J.P. Mascaro, represent a responsible bid in regards to customer service?"

Hozza said the number of complaints when Waste Management had the contract is minimal compared to the volume of complaints the township receives regarding Mascaro's operations.

"People have had it with the number of complaints from this hauler. They are nice people. You need someone to take control of the program," Hozza said.

"I take particular exception to your comments. Our company submitted a responsible bid. Our bid is responsible. Don't do it on my company's reputation," said Albert A. DeGennaro, deputy general counsel for Mascaro.

Waste Management representative Cynthia Williams Oatis made a presentation on the automated system her firm proposes. She discussed the implementation of the system in Palmer Township.

"The first 30 days were holy hell. We got it from all sides, batten down the hatch," Oatis said.

Now that they got the hang of it, residents are satisfied.

She explained the key is educating the public via websites, literature and meetings.

"It was a fine presentation, but we are not Palmer Township," board President Linda Snyder said.

Commissioner Gerard Palagonia expressed concern that some Whitehall streets are not as wide as those in Palmer.

Parked cars could make automated pickup of trash difficult if not impossible.

Oatis said in such cases they are manually picked up.

"As far as going in another direction, I can't do it right now," Snyder said.

The township will save $400,000 on a landfill contract.

Snyder said this savings is better off going to the taxpayers than to the automated trash pickup system.

Commissioner Phillips Armstrong replied the automated system would be paid for in three years, after which residents could reap the benefits of the savings.