MERRILLVILLE | Some Merrillville residents who contracted with a private garbage hauler before the town went with a single waste company have not been reimbursed money they paid in advance of the consolidation, town officials said.

Town Councilman Joe Shudick brought up the situation during a Town Council workshop Wednesday after he received a complaint from resident Jeanne Szigoti.

Szigoti said she paid private hauler Performance Waste for the entire 2008 year in advance, but the company stopped collecting her trash when Allied Waste became the town's only waste hauler in late March.

She said she called Performance Waste multiple times and sent a letter seeking reimbursement but has yet to receive the money.

Szigoti said each time she calls the company, she is told she will be reimbursed the next month.

A representative from Performance Waste said she had no comment about the situation.

Town Manager Tim Brown said he received about a dozen calls from residents complaining about the same problem with Performance Waste and urged those affected to contact the clerk-treasurer's office at (219) 769-3501.

Brown said town officials will decide how to help when they have a better idea of how many people haven't been reimbursed.