During the October 17 Select Board meeting, it was agreed that a commercial and business “dump day” needs to be established strictly for non-residential trash disposal.
Starting on Friday, November 4, Fridays from noon to 5 PM will be set aside for non-residential trash to be deposited at the Transfer Station.
Why the Change?
A number of residents and Reg Roy, Transfer Station Manager, brought several concerns to the Board’s attention. The primary concern surrounded congestion and long waits on Wednesdays and Saturdays due to the time needed by commercial and business haulers to unload.
However, these were not the only reasons the Board took action. Other reasons include:
Penalties: With the potential of substantial fines for “unwanted and illegal” refuse disposal, it was determined that Transfer Station personnel need time to focus on load inspection and the administrative requirements necessary. This is for commercial and business customers specifically and residential in general, to avoid potential accidents or penalties.
Safety: At this time it is not possible to create separate flow lanes for haulers and residents through the unloading area. We all have seen or experienced the potential for injury as residents, children, and haulers, hustle to complete their “dump run.” Plus there’s the frustration as people and vehicles dart in and out of the unloading area or attempt to seek direction from Transfer Station personnel.
Efficiency: There is no doubt that recognizing and segmenting the needs of the residents and businesses in this fashion will provide a smoother and more organized approach for all involved. It’s not a perfect solution, but it is what can be done at this time and within budget.
Budget: The cost for Friday openings will be taken from the existing Transfer Station budget. No, there was not a lot of “fat” in this budget, but with some priority adjustments to accommodate this important issue, funds were identified.
Civility: It was also pointed out by several people that frustrations have lead to “pointed” exchanges between customers and Transfer Station personnel. Disagreements happen; however, no one deserves to be verbally abused or witness such exchanges while going about their jobs or chores at the Transfer Station. If this type of unacceptable behavior persists, the individual(s) identified will be spoken to, and should it continue, the Select Board will address the problem.
Who and How: To the residents, you will see little change and hopefully a smoother process. If you are doing work on your home or a home project presents itself, again, this does not change your Wednesday or Saturday routine.
To the commercial haulers or businesses, this will require some schedule planning on your part. The intent is not to cause you problems or hinder your businesses. There are situations that will arise, and we recognize that. Please call Reg Roy and work out a solution.
No plan is perfect, but a plan has become necessary. Short of a major and costly change at the Transfer Station, this represents a reasonable course of action.
Other Issues
Finally, there are a number of issues surrounding the Transfer Station that are being addressed. We need to button up the center building walls and a roof patch around the heater stack, which is going to be done before winter. The office and main hopper area needs to be upgraded, which is under review, with the extent of project, timing, and costs to be determined.
The Board has been approached about the amount of out-of-town material disposal. This will be reviewed for accuracy and a determination made if a problem does exist and needs to be addressed.
The Transfer Station remains a center of town activity and one that affects us all. With that said, it also remains an ongoing responsibility to keep within the regulations required by law and the requirements expected by our residents.