SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock Borough Council may not extend its trash pickup service contract with Tri-County Industries.

The council denied a motion to continue service with Tri-County Industries Tuesday evening after some council members expressed a desire to support a local collector.

Those who spoke in support of a local collector argued it could promote competition and potentially allow a better price.

The borough is about two-and-a-half years through a three-year contract with Tri-County Industries.

At the start of the meeting, Austin Braatz, a Slippery Rock resident and owner of Serafine Hauling LLC, told the council he would consider putting in a bid for trash collection service if Tri-County Industries' contract is not renewed.

Council president Russ Karl said the last time the borough put out a bid for trash collection, the process got too complicated and discouraged other potential contractors from submitting bids. However, he said he is in favor of promoting competition.

“It got so cumbersome and complicated that we got one bid,” he said in the meeting. “I think we would have to simplify it in order to then breed that competition.”

Slippery Rock borough manager Shawn Pugh said the borough supplies trash collection service to about 3,500 residents in the area. He also said the council would have to decide the terms of a new bid for contracts, so the new bid probably won't be released until August or September.

The contract with Tri-County will continue through the end of the year.