LISBON — Town councilors have scheduled a public hearing for next month on raising the cost of waste station permits and barring commercial waste from the station in an effort stop escalating costs.
The proposal by Public Works Director Randy Cyr would increase station stickers from $10 to $25 per year, and prohibit businesses and commercial and residential haulers from using the station.
The changes would save an estimated $95,000 per year, which could be used to hire a full-time person with a Class A commercial driver’s license and pay for other projects, Cyr said.
Originally designed for residential waste only, the station is taking in large amounts of commercial waste, he said.
“We have 9,800 people in this town, and we sell about 3,100 tickets,” he said. “So what happens to the other 6,700 people? Obviously, they’re not buying our stickers, and they’re obviously paying somebody to haul it off, (who are) making a 100% profit.
“When it ends up at my place, I handle it, I truck it, my packer has to pack it, in which we need a $100,000 trailer. Who’s paying for that? Everybody’s paying for it.”
Another factor increasing expenses is the loss of a market for some materials the town used to sell.
“What used to make us money is now costing us money,” Cyr said. “Times have got to change.”
Councilors agreed the permit fee is too low and $25 would be reasonable.
“It’s either taxes go up to be able to dispose of all of this, and taxes also go up because we need more
staff, or we implement something like this,” Councilor Kasie Kolbe said.
The council will hold a public hearing on the proposals in June.
The transfer station costs come as the council weighs the municipal budget. The impact of the budget on local taxes will largely be determined by bills in Legislature on the homestead exemption, which would reimburse towns 100%, and on the amount of revenue-sharing the state gives to municipalities, Town Manager Diane Barnes said.
The municipal budget discussion will continue at the council meeting June 4.
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