Chuck, the recycling/transfer station presenter, told the board the largest single pressure in his department is landfill disposal costs, which the town pays under contract with a hauler. He said the town uses historic high years to estimate tonnage because weather events and one‑time floods can sharply raise disposal tonnage; he cited a COVID year with 613 tons as an example and said typical years are often lower (in the 500–575 ton range).
Chuck said the town’s hauling and per‑ton rates rise annually under the contract. He reported recent monthly bills of around $16,000 and noted the station currently has about $85,000 remaining in its annual line; depending on coming winter months and unusual events this could deplete the line. Using the higher historic tonnage would add roughly $7,000 to the budget line; he proposed budgeting slightly on the higher side to avoid mid‑year shortages.
He also reported savings for metal recycling by switching to containerized pickups instead of grapple truck service and said electronics fees are down because of a favorable vendor arrangement. Chuck asked the board to consider the long‑range variability of disposal tonnage as the budget is finalized and recommended a conservative approach to the disposal line to avoid mid‑year reallocations.