Published: June 19, 2009 12:05 am      

N. Cambria to keep trash job

NORTHERN CAMBRIA — Holding on to the function of trash collection, the borough is keeping its workers and buying a new truck.

After listening to borough employees’ pleas and residents speaking in favor of borough collection, council members voted this week to retain the work instead of contracting it to a private firm.

“Northern Cambria might be one of only about six municipalities in the area who keep doing it,” Borough Manager Nadine Nagle said.

“This is about the third time it’s been bid out, and then the bid’s rejected,” she said.

Private bids submitted to the borough for annual service ranged from $166,324 to $185,490 per year.

Northern Cambria has one full-time worker and three part-time workers who collect trash. Employees had asked the council to retain garbage collection as a borough function, saying that they knew the residents and were always ready to help them when needed.

A contracted service would be more impersonal, they said.

Many residents voiced their opinions, but most spoke in favor of keeping it a borough function, said borough staff.

Nagle said the specifications for the new truck would be published next week.

Municipalities in the county use a variety of systems, but only a few collect their own trash.

Cambria Township, for example, allows residents to choose their own hauler and pay the hauler directly.

Ebensburg contracts with the low bidder and pays the firm directly. The borough then bills residents individually.

Others turn over trash collection to a private company, which then bills customers.