Mercer officials to recommend that recycling company get pact

MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County commissioners agreed Wednesday to recommend that Tri-County Industries be awarded the contract to take over hauling of the county's recyclables.
The contract will be formally acted on by the Mercer County Solid Waste Authority when it meets at 3 p.m. Friday at the Mercer County Regional Council of Governments office, 2491 Highland Road, Hermitage. Tri-County, in Grove City, offered to haul the recyclables for 149,760 for three years. The only other bidder, World Resources, no address available, offered to do it for 835,920.
Commissioner Brian Beader said after the meeting that the lowest responsible bid must be accepted. The commissioners' approval was needed for the contract because they have agreed to pick up the bulk of the costs for the program that is operated by the Mercer County Solid Waste Authority.
The hauling program has operated for several years with trucks bought for the county with state grants. However, the trucks need to be replaced and no money is available.
The Solid Waste Authority also has lost its major funding source for the program -- the tipping fees that waste haulers pay to landfills -- because of a state court decision. This has forced the county to seek bids from private haulers in the hope of operating the program at a lower cost. The program serves rural communities of Mercer County by providing sites for drop-off of recyclables. Larger communities run their own programs.