Bath Social Hall was filled with borough residents Jan. 18 during what council President Mark Saginario called the “first Bath town hall meeting,” an event he said council would like to hold twice a year.

A main topic at this first meeting was garbage - specifically, the new sanitation contract with J.P. Mascaro & Sons.

In attendance, along with Mayor Fiorella Reginelli-Mirabito and all of council, were three representatives from J.P. Mascaro & Sons. Saginario reported on some of the contract’s contents. With the three-year contract - a reduction of fees from $401 to $297 per household - every resident received a free 64- or 96-gallon garbage tote. Recycling pickup will be every week instead of every two weeks. Saginario, pleased with council’s work with the new contract, turned the meeting over to Brad Flynn, borough manager.

Flynn explained this is an education meeting as there have been numerous resident complaints about the new waste pickup process. He said there will be two pickups during the year - June 8 and Oct. 19 - for items such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers and other large items. The public works department will pick up yard waste twice a year - June 6 and Oct. 17.

Regarding recycling, Flynn requested that residents “recycle as much as you can.” A schedule of pickups and other information was given to those present. Flynn said if residents have any questions, they should call the borough office.

The meeting then moved to a question-and-answer session.

An unidentified gentleman complained about the color of the totes, saying they were “big, stupid, red cans.”

Saginario attempted to explain, but the gentleman walked out of the meeting.

The discussion about the bright red totes, provided free of cost by J.P. Mascaro & Sons, to every household dominated the discussion. It was explained that red is J.P. Mascaro & Sons’ color. Saginario said no one ever thought about what the color would be.

Another resident said, “... Brown or green - anything but red.”

After the color issue discussion faded, other issues arose, such as J.P. Mascaro & Sons’ personnel throwing recyclables into trash and throwing the totes around haphazardly. This caused a J.P. Mascaro & Sons representative to say they have had a supervisor monitoring the workers’ pickup behavior. Workers will be disciplined for poor work. The rep also said the red totes are not for recycling and pizza boxes are not recyclables.

Confusion started to mount, but residents’ numerous, varied questions were answered.

Another resident asked if the recycling cans can be placed upright by the workers instead of upside down because shards of glass get into the resident’s grass. If the can is turned right side up, the glass will not be in the grass. This prompted another resident to say if the can is not turned upside down, it might blow away on a windy day.

Another resident promptly asked, “Can they close the lids after emptying the can?”

Saginario, Flynn and the J.P. Mascaro & Sons’ representatives answered all the questions.

After the meeting, two senior citizens said they thought the meeting was good, and they like the town hall format.