Salisbury Grass Clippings Pickups End July 1

The Salisbury Township board of commissioner said it will redouble its efforts to look for grass collection options for residents after pickups are discontinued after July 1.

At their meeting on Thursday, the board rejected a motion to rescind their March 10 decision to eliminate grass collection from Waste Management's trash hauling contract, which was renewed for another three years.  Instead of renewing grass collection from May 1 to October 31, it will be from May 1 to June 30.

Township Manager Randy Soriano recommended the board rescind the motion, saying it makes more sense to end grass collection next year.

"This will give you enough time to work with Waste Management to come up with a viable alternative, i.e. a pay-as-you-throw or an educate-and-inform the user of the consequence of wanting the service, with the cost to be determined based on the user," Soriano said.

The board rejected the motion by a vote of 3 to 2. Commissioners Robert Martucci, Norma Cusick and Joanne Ackerman voted against it. President James Brown and James Seagreaves voted for it.

Several residents spoke in support of having options for grass collection pickup.  "The key is give the people an option," said resident Ed Tremba, who added he was concerned about people dumping grass in vacant lots. 

"I'm willing to pay for the service because it is very, very convenient," he said.

Resident  Stan Reinford added, "All I'm looking for is an option instead of being backed into a corner and saying you have to mulch."  Reinford suggested the township have a drop-off center.

Before the vote, Jan Keim asked Brown why they couldn't come up with a viable option before next year.

Brown said he didn't think it was enough time to devise a plan and to "inform everyone in the township on how it's going to work. "

After Seagreaves made the motion to rescind the grass collection elimination, it was followed by a long silence until Brown seconded the motion.

"Does this motion say you will still work toward an option come July 1?." Soriano asked. " Because people are going to be be mixed up. They are going to see their grass collection picked up for two months then all of a sudden it's going to terminate."

Martucci said, "I think we need to get Waste Management back here as quick as possible and sit down with them  and say to them, OK, now we need to get this plan instituted as quickly as we can. We have to get this resolved in a much more timely fashion and I think we can do it," he said.

Soriano said it was a "Catch-22"  because Waste Management will want to know how many people want grass pickup before they determine a price and the residents are going to want to know how much it will cost before they decide they want the service.

Ackerman said she supported a "pay according to what you throw" model and placing collection trucks at the Franko and Devonshire drop-off centers on designated days.

"The deal is trying to save money. Collecting grass is an expense," Ackerman said.

"What we're trying to look at is for the  well-being of the majority of the citizens. That doesn't mean we're going to turn our backs on those who want grass collection. We're going to see what we can do and in a cost efficient way."