[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6547697,"mediaKeyId","3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b","parentId",3407150,"title","Votes at a glance: Torrington council approves contracts, budgets and hearings","audioSeconds",1016,"startMs",1177000,"endMs",2193000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b&start=1177&end=2193","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b/thumbnail_1177000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6547697/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Votes-at-a-glance-Torrington-council-approves-contracts-budgets-and-hearings","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547697-4b1b02ee6e006643afa38605097debc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176779&Signature=XFm4K2RvwS7QpsNpuptRJ8nz9Ul67Rf4DUmLeb51-YwICH-mlCrHbpmcZr5uKinNtTNLlNWGOTy88pUN9gP8Au1W9QCLAAyt1bA-LpFs~-g08axNGMIizgu380aq3C3beH634RhO~1kN9NGBBT7L03J93lkgFKLUM~AFMPtLDB6ulCCY51T5cQbCbVd-YOudR7EDGRcNW8lqHRJNZWKjRA4rH1LiigJZcJAlIB1SLGt07w-opXldoUpQX~BC0COhKbnZdsFNbmN8diF~5uaJLpIAK1aMfe5lWmMDcPnZs7PYMsWQ63uouC2x1cI2Qia26Q4vehwM0TUnhFZFX4S9vg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Torrington CT","date","2025-05-19T00:00:00Z","article","The Torrington City Council conducted a series of largely procedural votes, approving contract extensions, routine payments, budgets and scheduling public hearings.

Routine contract extensions approved for fiscal year 2025–26 at the same price and terms included: tree trimming/removal services with Esplend Tree Expert Company; HVAC maintenance with Air Temp Mechanical Services; miscellaneous electrical services with First Line Services; general plumbing with West State Mechanical of Torrington; locksmith and door repairs with DRF Locksmith Specialist LLC and Apple Hill Enterprises LLC; and on-call roof repairs and annual inspections with Eagle Rivet Roof Services Corp. Several motions were moved and seconded by council members (many motions were made by Councilman Waldron and seconded by Councilwoman Spino) and passed without recorded opposition.

The council, sitting as WPCA, approved payments from the sanitary sewer capital improvement fund: $30,602.03 for the Woodstead Road force-main tunnel project and $21,255.02 for the Harris Drive pump station. The council approved the WPCA operating budget for the year beginning July 1, 2025, the WPCA five-year capital improvement program and the WPCA miscellaneous fee schedule for the same fiscal year.

Other approvals included a budget-transfer request for FY 2024–25 (pending Board of Finance approval), a FileMaker/Citrix upgrade for the police department to AccuCom Consulting Inc. for $14,400 (to be paid from the IT contract services account), tax refunds and sewer-use refunds as presented by the tax collector, and acceptance of meeting minutes and public-hearing scheduling items.

The council also voted to add to the agenda and reschedule a public hearing on the sale of 403 Torringtonford West Street to June 16; the motion to reschedule was moved by Councilman Cabanero and seconded by Councilman Oliver and passed.

All listed procedural votes were recorded as carried with no recorded opposition during the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 19, 2025 | City Council & WPCA Regular Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its meeting the council approved multiple contract extensions for city services, the WPCA budget and five-year capital plan, routine payments, and scheduled a public hearing on the sale of 403 Torringtonford West Street for June 16.","taxTitle","Torrington, Northwest Hills County, Connecticut","taxId",52777,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547701,"Torrington council adopts Northwest Resource Recovery ordinance amid concerns about potential facility sale and monopolies",574,428000,1002000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b&start=428&end=1002","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b/thumbnail_428000.jpg","/articles/6547701/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Torrington-council-adopts-Northwest-Resource-Recovery-ordinance-amid-concerns-about-potential-facility-sale-and-monopolies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547701-9bd3a3fc2f305c64b123178b2aba0fbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176779&Signature=ZNJApB~3sa~rLqSS3fz-4TPRyT6CEV5DW~itVOyU8N8iS2frLhgm2a3sfKhCi-ub-8pPtU2vWLEDUNEnPFlnIuWY0EhTI5UQMHHYi1hXo0LdVf6ky-rlUrPApkU~Gi2IT-h2CeZdBM-6x1SlxI69rsHpg8~SeU3jJGOcs~bfdGjUBqIZ2wFy61cPnzp481h-aGRtY8LTkMs2HrJrl5tyLs9abOPtYvUajdQPDEMatnxK7XAaIbCCrxlyfJD7BYUWfiEukymvrvwOEQiBT2AO8xeI6Ao~o5FfpxKx-YwCIIN2~i5stuBKx-5mfEG0co08IEss9HXS6KNBEUQDDR6kTg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrington City Council adopted Chapter 63 of the city code to establish the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority after a discussion about a separate, ongoing transfer-station matter and regional waste-disposal arrangements.

Council members discussed ongoing regional negotiations involving MiRA (a regional authority referenced in the meeting) and a later proposal from USA Hauling & Recycling to acquire a regional transfer facility for $3,250,000—roughly six times the assessor’s recorded value of about $500,000, according to statements in the meeting. Council staff and members said that proposal raised concerns that a private purchase could concentrate market power and produce long-term tipping-fee increases.

Ray (staff participant) and others told the council the city and 10 other towns had been negotiating a term sheet that would have transferred certain stabilization reserve funds and a facility under a regional plan. After an executed term sheet and apparent signoffs from state and regional officials, the USA Hauling proposal arrived, offering to buy the facility and to absorb contracts other than municipal-service agreements.

\"If they did this there would be a complete monopoly on this service,\" one council member said during the discussion, noting the long-term implications for municipal tipping fees. Meeting participants said the MDA board (created or empowered by recent legislation) has broad authority, including the ability to dispose of assets without a public bid process.

Council members said they had sought follow-up with the city’s legislative delegation and asked that the attorney general review whether antitrust concerns exist; the transcript records that the request had been made but a response from the attorney general had not yet been received at the time of the meeting.

Councilman Iveen moved to adopt the ordinance as presented by corporation counsel; Councilwoman Spino seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote with all members present voting yes.

Council members noted that if the city proceeds with an acquisition of the facility in the future, or if ordinance language needs adjustment to reflect an acquired facility, the ordinance can be amended through the ordinance committee and the public hearing process.","The council adopted a new chapter of the city code establishing the Northwest Resource Recovery Authority and debated a parallel regional transfer-station proposal after learning a private firm had offered to buy a regional facility for far above assessor value, raising monopoly concerns.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6547706,"Torrington WPCA approves $426 sewer use fee; officials cite rising sludge disposal and energy costs",416,28000,444000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b&start=28&end=444","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3407150-e6ad8a71ba5cdec51be90f12ba0d4b1b/thumbnail_28000.jpg","/articles/6547706/Torrington/Northwest-Hills-County/Connecticut/Torrington-WPCA-approves-426-sewer-use-fee-officials-cite-rising-sludge-disposal-and-energy-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6547706-cd88aa94d29aec1e4cd94ac9bd608cc6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771176779&Signature=miFHRcfYq3JHNbwb4iEP2bmboitX4d9NizTOPFKV~SPsOWnqnTka83-ta-ZP~VrsDckaPssjR4fMmE5fF2-GaMzn2RpAHT71ZLYpOjDHrUTO5werrT4VJNYD-Qyq4axHOD~0eaJO8U66BF47URgLc6a730-vz6I~aPJK8E48X3xTIDvvcfEuyD40gkUE0lJ8-2wtPlw4nZRtVDWYEXtbEUTVdaPTVieDYUwehnIWOPWZxxsca~j04Y~rga3Im7AOJX9IKY59qYN7dXY2p-EMDBY9quWF2fjMbVDz4ZxKZm-wH7H6CMqwoMLmtCKEz5VLGsXG7IEgpzJ~NWtOnDhz5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Torrington City Council, sitting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, voted to set the sewer use fee for the year beginning July 1, 2025, at $426 per dwelling unit and $426 per 65,000 gallons of flow for nonresidential users, a $6 increase from the prior year.

The authority approved the recommendation after hearing a staff overview of cost drivers. Ed (WPCA administrator and public works director) told the board that major budget pressures include employee-benefit increases, a roughly 10% rise in sludge-disposal charges and higher electricity, service agreements and preventative-maintenance costs. He said the sludge-disposal increase follows a contracting market with fewer bidders and aging incinerator infrastructure in the state.

\"We went out to bid five years ago for that contract, and there were only two bidders. The person that won, Veolia, won the bid, and they decided they're not gonna do that anymore,\" Ed said, describing a more constrained market for disposal services. He added the authority is investigating newer technologies that could reduce disposal volumes and costs and said the city is exploring whether any such technologies could be located in Torrington.

Council members asked about the likely local impact of new technologies and where they would be sited. Ed said the evaluation is ongoing and that if staff identifies feasible alternatives, the matter will come back to the WPCA for further consideration.

Councilman Waldron made the motion to accept the WPCA administrator's recommendation; Councilman Oliver seconded. The motion passed on a roll call vote with Councilman Waldron, Councilman Iveen, Councilwoman Espino, Councilman Kevin Arrow and Councilman Oliver voting yes.

The board did not adopt an alternative fee schedule during the meeting and did not set any specific timeline for implementing or approving new disposal technologies. The $6 increase and the staff explanations were the substantive actions taken on the first agenda item.","The Torrington City Council, sitting as the Water Pollution Control Authority, approved a $6 increase in the annual sewer use fee to $426 per dwelling unit for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025, citing higher sludge-disposal costs, electricity and maintenance expenses and limited regional disposal capacity.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Torrington council approves contracts, budgets and hearings

Torrington council adopts Northwest Resource Recovery ordinance amid concerns about potential facility sale and monopolies

Torrington WPCA approves $426 sewer use fee; officials cite rising sludge disposal and energy costs