COVID-19-related problems are blamed for delays in trash pickup in Salisbury Township.

The area manager of township trash hauler Republic Services fielded questions from residents and officials at the Salisbury Township Board of Commissioners meeting Sept. 23.

Residents also complained about a so-called “nuisance house” in the township.

And one resident said there are sewer backups in the basement of her house.

Meanwhile, commissioners voted unanimously 5-0 to ratify a Declaration of Emergency for Tropical Storm Ida, which dumped nine-plus inches of rain in some areas of the Lehigh Valley Sept. 2.

In other business, in separate 5-0 votes, commissioners accepted the resignation of John Barbaz from the township environmental advisory council and appointed Barbaz to an unexpired term until the end of the year on the planning commission, effective immediately.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to approve Change Order No. 1 granting a time extension to a contractor until Oct. 31 for the 2021 roadway crack seal, chip seal, mastic and fog seal project.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to certify the 2022 minimum municipal obligation for township pension plans.

Lehigh County Emergency Management officials as of Sept. 2 are encouraging residents “to report storm damage that may have been sustained after the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida moved through the area.

“This will provide both the municipalities and the county a better understanding of the extent of the damage throughout Lehigh County,” a Sept. 2 news release from the county stated.

Lehigh County residents can report damages to their home and property by completing a survey via a link on the township website at www.salisburytownshippa.org.

Residents are encouraged to upload photographs of damage.

For information on the damage survey, call the Lehigh County Emergency Management Agency at 610-782-4600.

Township board of commissioners President Debra Brinton, who signed the declaration of emergency Sept. 2 for Tropical Storm Ida, said at the Sept. 23 meeting, “In case there are any lingering effects, we wanted to make sure we have something in place.”

Regarding the last item on the Sept. 23 agenda, “Discussion regarding Republic Service issues,” Brinton said, “The last item we are going to discuss is our major problem with Republic Services.”

The day of the meeting, an email from the Salisbury Township administration stated: “Please be advised that due to mechanical issues, Republic Services cannot complete the trash route today, Thursday, Sept. 23. They will continue picking up tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 24, so please leave your items curbside.”

Continued Brinton at the meeting, “It’s very frustrating. It’s hard because we just started the new contract.

“And, yes, prices went up, and now will go up every year.

“We did not get a lot of bids.

“My personal sense is that Republic is going through the same thing that many businesses are going through,” Brinton said.

“It’s a public contract. Are there liquidating damages?” township resident Al Albrecht asked.

“I don’t know if that will help,” Brinton said.

Republic Services Operations Manager Paul Temby answered questions at the Sept. 23 meeting. Temby said he was appointed operations manager in July.

“We had some turnover, plus we had some supervisors who left,” Temby said.

“A lot of what we’re experiencing is the aftermath of COVID,” Temby said, adding, “I don’t think anybody knew about the labor shortage.

“We are expecting to right the ship in three to six months,” Temby said.

“Mack had shut down for months. Any trucks we had ordered are on back-order,” Temby said.

“My bill and our bill never changes,” Albrecht said.

“You have to remember: We all live in the township. We never say, ‘We’re not going to liquidate,’” Commissioner James Seagreaves said.

“That is an option,” Brinton said.

Salisbury Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said of the township providing trash pickup, “It is mandated that the township must provide municipal collection.”

Concerning the trash contract bidding and the choice of Republic, Bonaskiewich said, “We had six interested parties, but we only received two bids.”

The municipal solid waste and recycling contract was awarded to Republic Services at the Dec. 10, 2020, township meeting when the 2021 township budget was approved. The Dec. 10, 2020 meeting was held in person by commissioners with the public and the media participating via Zoom.

The approximate $5 million trash contract with Republic is over three years: 2021, 2022 and 2023, with possible renewal in 2024 and 2025.

Commissioners met Dec. 22, 2020, again via the hybrid format, to approve a resolution to increase the refuse and recycling rates effective Jan. 1, 2021, to $93 per unit per quarter or $372 annually.

The 2020 township trash collection rate was $68 per quarter per unit or $272 annually.

The increase included a new service for 2021 of front-door pickup of electronic equipment to be recycled.

Household electronics and hazardous waste picked up at the resident’s front door is to be arranged by a phone call to the trash hauler.

Also approved was trash pickup Monday through Friday with Saturday pickup eliminated. Pickup was to be twice per week with once per week for recycling.

The ending of Saturday trash pickup was said to aggravate problems in the township.

Some residents at the Sept. 23 meeting said they would be OK with once-per-week trash pickup.

“Most townships are getting pickup one once per week and recycling every other week,” Temby said.

Tropical Storm Ida was said to also contribute to trash pickup problems in the township.

“I’m not upset about my garbage not being picked up for two weeks,” township resident Chad Clauser said sarcastically .

“I don’t like that it was a 40 percent increase and it got 10 times worse,” Clauser said.

“Is it fixable, Paul?” Brinton asked Temby.

“Yes, it is,” Temby replied.

“Then, let’s fix it,” Brinton said.

In other business, township resident Holly Weiss complained about a house along Garden Avenue: “For two years, they have been bringing junk. I know Sandy [Salisbury Township Assistant Manager Sandy Nicolo] has been out to take photos.

“The fire department has been there twice,” Weiss said.

“The police have been there I can’t tell you how many times,” Weiss said.

“There are people coming and going. And this is a drug-free zone,” Weiss said.

Salisbury Township Chief of Police Kevin Soberick said, “We’ve been very active with that residence. And some things I can’t say that we’re working on.”

Weiss also said she had a sewer backup at her house. “I’ve never had sewer backup,” Weiss said.

Salisbury Township Consulting Engineer David J. Tettemer of Keystone Consulting Engineers, Inc., said, “This last storm [Tropical Storm Ida], we had hundreds of manhole covers blowing out all over the Valley.

“I’m not saying there aren’t problems out there. We are looking for those areas throughout the whole township,” Tettemer said.

Salisbury Township Director of Public Works Jim Levernier said to Weiss and residents, “The township has spent millions of dollars and spent decades looking into your area. You guys are at the lowest part of the system.

“We’re lining the pipes. And we fixed the breaks on Emmaus Avenue,” Levernier said.

“We know there’s a lot of water getting in there. The whole east side there is very wet,” Levernier said.

Commissioners met in executive session following the meeting to discuss two legal matters and one real estate matter, Brinton announced.

The Sept. 9 township commissioners’ meeting was canceled.

Additionally, a Sept. 24 Salisbury Township administration email stated: “Please be advised: After Oct. 2, grass will no longer be accepted at the Devonshire Drop-off Center. Residents will still be able to utilize the Franko Drop-off Center during its weeks of operation for the disposal of grass for the remainder of this drop-off season.”

The board of commissioners is next scheduled to meet 7 p.m. Oct. 14 in the meeting room at the municipal building, 2900 S. Pike Ave.