Northampton residents object to rollout of Republic automated carts; borough promises fixes

Derek Lang, a Northampton resident, told the borough council that the new five‑year garbage contract requiring standardized automated carts was “communicated very poorly” and left many neighbors uncertain how to comply. He cited narrow streets, street parking, and multi‑step properties as barriers to placing 96‑gallon carts where collectors can access them.

The concern surfaced repeatedly during public comment: Michelle Moser and other residents said elderly neighbors and people living with steps or without storage space could not easily move or store the large tubs and asked whether smaller carts or alley pickup were options. Moser said residents had received flyers jammed into trash carts and that some longtime residents learned about the change only through Facebook.

Borough staff and council members described limits set by the procurement process and the vendor. Officials said the borough awarded the contract to Republic because it was the lowest responsible bidder and the bid package required carts. Staff emphasized they did not select the cart requirement independently but had to accept the bid terms. Council said Republic has been the borough’s hauler for the past five years and that the firm and its subcontractor are handling delivery and service questions.

Council staff said there will be a grace period during rollout, and Republic will dispatch an extra truck in areas where the automated arms or spacing do not work. Borough staff also said smaller carts can be requested (phone numbers and request instructions appear on the flyer and the borough website) and that some replacement and repair calls (wheels damaged on new carts, dirty or damaged units) are already being handled. The borough asked residents to report missed pickups, damaged carts or other problems through the office or the vendor numbers listed on the information sheet.

Residents raised other concerns—bulk items, snow‑time placement and whether carts are rented or owned. Staff answered that bulk pickup remains part of the contract (a different truck will collect it when scheduled), carts are associated with the residence (not rented), and the borough will make amended informational flyers available at the office. Council urged neighbors to help seniors with placements when needed and said staff are fielding large volumes of requests daily.

The council did not change the contract during the meeting. Officials said they will continue daily coordination with Republic and the delivery subcontractor to resolve distribution issues and encouraged residents to use the office or the phone numbers printed on the flyer to request smaller carts or report problems.

The borough also said collection practices for specific streets (including alley vs. curb pickup) will be maintained where they currently function and that adjustments may be made case‑by‑case during the rollout.