Lower Pottsgrove Approves $1.6 Million Trash Contract with Mascaro

The Lower Pottsgrove Township Commissioners have approved a five-year trash and recycling contract with J.P. Mascaro & Sons, valued at approximately $1.6 million for the first year. The decision, made on October 5, 2023, passed with a 4-1 vote, signaling a significant financial commitment from the township. Commissioner Mike McGroarty, the sole dissenting voice, raised concerns about the impact on the township’s budget and residents.

McGroarty highlighted that the contract represents a 20 percent increase in costs for the first year, with subsequent annual price increases capped between 2 percent and 3 percent. He noted that trash collection will account for 12 percent of the township’s budget in 2025 and is projected to rise to 16 percent in 2026. McGroarty expressed his discomfort with the decision, stating, “I have a hard time swallowing this, and I can’t support it in good conscience.”

The decision to award the contract to Mascaro came after the board rejected a competing bid from Whitetail Disposal, despite it being the lower offer. Township Solicitor Jamie Ottaviano advised against accepting Whitetail’s bid, citing deficiencies in the documentation required for the bid specifications, particularly regarding the landfills where the waste would be processed. The board unanimously voted to reject Whitetail’s proposal.

In contrast, Mascaro, which owns the Pioneer Crossing Landfill outside Birdsboro, needed to provide documentation for only one landfill, simplifying their bid process.

Paul Brady, the president and chief operating officer of Whitetail Disposal, criticized the township’s bid specifications as overly complicated, suggesting that this complexity discouraged other potential bidders, including Waste Management, the largest waste management company in the U.S. Brady remarked, “We have contracts in 30 other municipalities, and this is the only time we have run into a request for bid with these specifications. It’s anti-competitive and anti-consistent.”

In response, Pat Mascaro, president of Mascaro and Sons, countered Brady’s claims by suggesting that Whitetail’s inability to meet the specifications stemmed from a lack of proper preparation. He asserted that attending the pre-bid meeting could have better equipped Whitetail to participate effectively. Mascaro further argued, “If you can’t get the paperwork right, how are you going to get it right on the street?”

As Lower Pottsgrove moves forward, it is currently completing the final year of its previous five-year contract with Mascaro. The township will now prepare the budget for 2026, with the new contract’s financial implications expected to play a significant role in future planning.