SLIPPERY ROCK — The cost of garbage collection for borough residents will increase by more than $9 per month next year.

Borough council voted five to one Tuesday to award a three-year garbage contract to Tri-County Industries.

The contract totals $944,544 and has an option to renew for another three years at the same rate. Per the borough’s request, the contract also includes two new services: yard waste pickup and e-waste collection.

Tri-County, which has been the garbage collector for the borough for several years, increased its rate for pickup from $11.27 to $20.53 per month under the new contract. The borough also charges a $3 administrative fee, meaning the bills will actually increase from $14.27 to $23.53.

Council member Itzi Meztli, who voted against the contract, said he thought the increase was too large.

“That is outrageous. That vendor is gouging us,” Meztli said.

Jerry Bowser, general manager for Tri-County, was at the meeting but declined to answer a question from Council President Regina Greenwald about what caused the increase.

“I’m not going to put my numbers on the table. That’s a question you shouldn’t ask. You put it out for bid, I bid it,” he said.

Greenwald said an increase is bound to upset some residents.

“I don’t think it is an outrageous rate, but the people in this community will not be happy with the doubling of their pickup rate, I’m sure of that,” she said.

Tri County’s bid was the only one the borough received, solicitor Neva Stotler said.

If the council had voted to decline the bid, the borough would have had to seek a temporary extension of the current contract to have garbage collection in January, Stotler said.

Meztli said he wanted the borough to turn down the bid, seek an extension of its current contract and then put out a new request for bids that would exclude the added services.

A previous time that the borough had put a contract out for bid, Waste Management had made a bid, but it was significantly higher than what Tri-County offered, Stotler said.

“We cannot get competition in this industry, in this area,” she said.

Council Member Ron Steele said increased cost was to be expected with added services.

“I’m satisfied with it,” he said about the bid.

Steele, Greenwald, Ken Harris, Dave Miller and Chrisy Tichy voted in favor, while Meztli voted against. Bob Bowser was absent.

Under the new agreement residents will be able to put tree trimmings, grass and leaves out by the curb in special compost bags from April 1 to the beginning of December. It may also do a Christmas tree pickup week.

Also, once per year at a time and date to be determined, the borough will have an e-waste collection event when residents can dispose of items such as televisions and computers.