Salisbury Township has again extended its trash-hauling pact until a new contract is approved.

As of the Nov. 13 township meeting, four bidders were apparently in the running. Bids were due Nov. 24. Bids were to be opened Dec. 3.

Salisbury Township Manager Randy Soriano updated commissioners on the refuse pact, which expired last summer. However, Waste Management, Inc. agreed to extend the contract through February 2015. The new contract would begin March, 1, 2015.

The extension will ensure uninterrupted township trash pickup, said Soriano.

Soriano said some questions arose at a pre-bid meeting when some bidders said they did not have enough time.

Soriano had wanted to have the refuse and recycling contract in place before year's end, so a new contract could begin Jan. 1, 2015.

In a side note, Soriano said, "We're not going to deal with automated collection."

Township officials had eyed automated trash pickup for the township's west side.

Once-weekly or twice-weekly trash pickup are still options to be determined, with bids sought for each plan.

The township's six-year contract with Waste Management, Inc. expired at the end of June.

It was a three-year pact, with a one-year contract renewal for three years, which was approved each year.

Waste Management was paid $1.5 million annually for each year of the contract.

Township officials discussed the waste-hauler contract at several township meetings, going back to March when changing trash pickup from twice-weekly to once-weekly was proposed.

After several months of review and rewriting by Soriano and Salisbury Township Solicitor Atty. John W. Ashley, a new Solid Waste Management Ordinance was put up for a vote by Commissioner Robert Martucci, Jr., seconded by Commissioner James Seagreaves and approved 4-0, with one commissioner absent, at the Aug. 28 township meeting.

The new ordinance paved the way for township trash hauler Requests For Proposals.