In what can only be described as a photo finish, Advanced Disposal was awarded the Bath Borough sanitation contract at the Oct. 7 meeting of council.

The two bidders were Advanced Disposal and JP Mascaro and Sons.

The lowest bid was $144 less than the other. Mascaro’s bid was $270,768. Advanced’s was $270,624.

In 2016, a narrow gap of 18 cents per household separated the top two bids, with Mascaro winning the bid. This year’s difference was even tighter - at just a few pennies per household.

Borough Manager Bradley Flynn said the new garbage cans are expected to be tan or green, as opposed to the red Mascaro bins.

Cindy Oatis, a consultant with expertise in sanitation and recycling matters, assisted council through the bidding process.

Council continues work on its 2020 budget. Flynn said he is pleased with the work so far, adding he expects no tax hike for 2020.

“I am happy about what has been achieved with the budget,” Flynn said.

He said he also expects to have $50,000 added to the borough’s rainy day fund.

The absence of a large police force assists in keeping costs down. In 2017, council voted unanimously to leave the Colonial Regional Police Department. The Pennsylvania State Police are now providing police coverage at no cost. A savings in excess of $430,000 resulted from this change.

The 2019 sale of the old borough hall on Washington Street generated $403,000.

A new Verizon cellular tower will generate about $23,000 per year, according to Flynn.

Council has assembled a list of non-ordained streets and alleys they plan to recognize via an ordinance.

Years ago, small housing developments sprung up in Bath without their streets and alleys being deemed official by past borough councils. Therefore, they receive no borough paving, repairs or snow plowing.

“We have no official street map,” Flynn said. “It is high time the borough has an official street and alleys map.

“We have a borough of Bath road plan on our website for residents to review,” he added.

With the long-awaited opening of the Paw Park becoming a reality Oct. 13, Mayor Fiorella Reginelli- Mirabito said she was delighted with the effort of numerous volunteers and public works. The park opened with an excellent turnout of both people and pets.

Councilman Frank Hesch’s Nazareth Council of Governments report included the NazCog’s efforts to address not only dogs, but also cats. No Nonsense Neutering is working on a plan to spay or neuter feral cats for $35 per cat. Marena Rasmus, office administrator, said there is work behind the scenes to assemble a trap/neuter/release plan to address the Bath feral cat population.

At the meeting, council passed five new ordinances covering weeds and grass trimmings, Paw Park, salaries and compensation, special exemptions for alcoholic beverages and prohibited parking in snow emergencies.

Bath Council meets again 6:30 p.m. Nov. 4 at Bath Borough Hall, 121 S. Walnut St.