SLIPPERY ROCK — The borough council meeting Tuesday evening turned to chaos when a landlord accused a borough official of lying.

Frank Monteleone accused both borough administrator Lucinda Lipko and Tri-County Industries general manager Jerry Bowser of lying about problems with bulk trash pickup to change the date.

Before this year, a bulk pickup day was held in May about the same time as Slippery Rock University’s graduation. However, the date changed to mid-March this year when the borough got a new contract with Tri-County last summer.

Among the reasons for the change in the date included concerns that the amount of trash that was put out at last year’s pickup date made the borough look dirty on graduation week, concerns about apartment complexes with private garbage contracts but not bulk pickup using the borough’s bulk pickup date and concerns that homeowners that did not normally have bulk trash were subsidizing landlords and tenants that have bulk trash more often, said Mayor Ken Harris.

Monteleone said that he spoke to Tri-County garbage collectors who said that there were no problems last year with bulk pickup. He said that the change means that the borough is the only town with a State System of Higher Education university in the western part of the state without a bulk pickup day at the same time as graduation.

“It was plenty fair what we had here,” Monteleone said.

He offered the council $4,231 to have Lipko and Bowser hooked up to a polygraph to talk about bulk garbage issues. He placed a stack of cash on the council table. He said that several landlords put the cash together.

On Wednesday morning, Monteleone said that he would offer $20,000 to Lipko for her to talk about any borough issue while hooked up to a polygraph.

If Lipko and Bowser accept the money and take the polygraph, Monteleone said Lipko and Bowser can do whatever they want with the money.

Lipko said Wednesday that she had no comment. Bowser did not return a phone call.

Harris said that the borough cannot compel Bowser to take a polygraph test, and he was not sure if there are any situations where it can compel Lipko to take one.

He said that if Monteleone is serious with his concerns, Monteleone should speak to a lawyer.

Monteleone left the money at the borough building. Harris said that borough police Chief Terry Fedokovitz counted the money while the council witnessed. He said the money is sealed in the evidence room and is being treated as abandoned property.

Council President Dave Miller could not be reached for comment.

Before Monteleone made the accusation, several landlords and council members discussed issues surrounding bulk pickup.

Landlord Joe Caparosa said that the change in the pickup date was almost “like a slap in the face” to landlords and tenants who are responsible.

“They are the ones that pay their bill every month,” Caparosa said.

He said the borough needs to be customer friendly. If it is not, he said there can be consequences, such as people moving out of the borough.

“They vote with their feet,” Caparosa said.

Councilman Itzi Meztli also said that other Western Pennsylvania towns with state system universities, including Clarion, Edinboro, Indiana and California, have bulk pickup days that coincide with graduations.

Meztli noted that the previous contract cost the borough $388,444 for three years. The new contract costs the borough $479,966 for 2013-15. He is concerned that the borough is paying more for less service.

Miller noted that the borough got two bids last year, and Tri County’s was much cheaper. The other bid was in excess of $700,000.

Meztli said that the council should be trying to solve problems, not compound them.

Meztli said that 60 tons of bulk trash were picked up in May 2012. In March only 17.6 tons were picked up, he said.

But Miller noted that there is a second bulk pickup date later this year, so the amount Meztli quoted is only half of a year’s worth of bulk trash.

Meztli said that he was not able to put as much trash out as he wanted to in March because it was too cold.

Councilman Royce Lorentz said that the borough used to have a bulk pickup day in November, but it proved to be too cold, so it was moved to September.

“The same logic might apply in the spring,” Lorentz said.

Meztli said that he would like to see a discussion about opening the contract up and changing the date back to May. He said that the new date is almost like punishing students.

“A March date just doesn’t work,” Meztli said.

Miller said that council can have a conversation to put the issue on a future council agenda.

According to the borough’s website, residents who need bulk trash pickup at other times may contract with Tri-County Industries, which charges $15 for a small item and $50 for a large item.