Firm will operate Allentown treatment plant

ALLENTOWN – A company based in Neptune has been hired by the Borough Council to serve as the operator of Allentown’s waste water treatment plant for 2018 and 2019.

At their final meeting of 2017, council members voted 6-0 to award a contract to Lyons Environmental Services, Neptune.

Allentown received three bids from companies seeking the contract and Lyons Environmental Services was the lowest bidder at $154,212 per year for two years.

The other bidders were Maser Consulting, Red Bank, $260,000, and DeBlock Environmental Services, Woodland Park, $600,000, according to the resolution which awarded the contract to Lyons Environmental Services.

The bids cover the operations, maintenance and management of the waste water treatment plant and sanitary sewer collection system.

Allentown was in need of a waste water treatment plant operator following the resignation of Ken Yudichak from that position. Yudichak worked for the borough for two years and had a long-distance commute to western Monmouth County, Mayor Greg Westfall said.

According to the resolution, Roberts Engineering, the borough’s engineer, “contacted the references provided by Lyons Environmental Services and determined they have the proper operator’s license to operate the waste water treatment plant and sanitary sewer collection system in the current and future plant configuration and all references provided had positive responses.”

The borough’s Sewer, Water and Public Utilities standing committee recommended the hiring of Lyons Environmental Services. The contract will run from Jan. 1, 2018 through Dec. 31, 2019, according to the resolution.