Charter Oak garbage complaints prompt request for hauling contract in Unity

Unity supervisors are being asked to consider contracting with a single garbage hauler to serve the township — an idea that has not been popular with residents in the past.

The request comes from Chris Buchheit, a board member with the Charter Oak Civic Association. He told the supervisors at their January meeting that residents in his housing plan have been complaining about discrepancies in pricing and service among several companies that have offered refuse collection individually to township residents.

“They collect on different days, they all charge different rates and they all have different levels of service,” Buchheit said. “In some cases, some of our residents are paying twice what others are.

“We’re tired of having garbage out three days a week. We’re tired of all the complaints.”

Buchheit said one Charter Oak resident is paying less than $60 per quarter for garbage collection while another is being billed $130 for the same level of service.

He said the civic association is not a governing body for Charter Oak residents and can’t negotiate for garbage service from a single hauler on their behalf.

But he suggested the supervisors, by seeking competitive bids, should pursue a hauling agreement that would offer uniform services and rates throughout the township.

“I think that will result in a significant savings to the residents,” he said. “It would be an opportunity for businesses to compete.”

Chairman Mike O’Barto said the township supervisors will have to discuss the idea of contracting with a garbage hauler. He noted the possibility has been discussed numerous times through the years.

At one point, when the supervisors were contemplating such an agreement, he said, “We had 100 people in this room telling us not to do it.”