For the second time this month, Palmerton has fielded concerns over its new trash hauler.

Resident Paul Snyder, who earlier this month said he was unhappy with having to contact the hauler directly for missed collections, again expressed his displeasure at Thursday’s borough council meeting.

Snyder said it’s the job of borough hall to contact the trash hauler, and not his.

“This has to be put to rest,” Snyder said. “It’s not the residents’ job to contact Whitetail.”

Snyder then asked council who was responsible for making the decision to go with Whitetail.

Councilman William Gallagher explained that council agreed to a contract with Whitetail.

“This is what Palmerton wants,” Gallagher said. “Give the system a chance to work.”

Councilman Andrew Hollywood told Snyder it’s required to accept the lowest bid.

Hollywood told Snyder if he continues to have a problem with his trash collection, that he would handle it.

Gallagher said he had no trouble reaching Whitetail.

“I called Whitetail,” Gallagher said. “I got almost immediate service.”

Hollywood said he believes in the honesty and integrity of Whitetail.

Gallagher told Snyder that if he continues to have a problem, to contact the borough.

Snyder said he doesn’t believe the citizens should be put in the middle.

Council President Terry Costenbader told Snyder, “If you have a problem, call the borough office.”

“You people are the only people (at the meeting) hollering about it,” he added.

Snyder said that just because there weren’t others there to complain doesn’t mean there aren’t others who have concerns.

Resident Raberta Hans, who earlier this month told council she was unhappy with trash cans in the alley that are not brought back after collection, then took her turn.

Hans said she did call Whitetail, and was on hold for about 15 minutes, and that there are others whom she knows that have had problems getting in contact with them.

“It wasn’t easy getting through to them,” Hans said.

Borough manager Autumn Canfield said the borough had some difficulty as well, as on their first day, Whitetail was bombarded with several collections.

In November, borough council awarded a three-year contract to Whitetail Disposal Inc. in the amount of $2,388,759.

The new rate is $119 a quarter. The previous rate had been $72 a quarter.

The contract is for trash pickup and recyclables.

Council’s action came after it tabled bid proposals it received in October for both three- and five-year contracts.

Anthracite Waste Services LLC, $2,454,488, and J.P. Mascaro & Sons, $2,967,012, also turned in three-year bids at that time.

Anthracite Waste submitted the apparent low bid of $4,236,225 for a five-year contract, and J.P. Mascaro & Sons, $5,226,480. Bids were also received from Waste Management PA Inc. and Tamaqua Transfer and Recycling Inc.

Hollywood noted at the time that the last time the borough changed providers, there were some “wrinkles” that needed to be ironed out.

The borough had been in a five-year contract with Waste Management for trash disposal and recycling, which expired in December.

That contract was for $1,746,990.