Brentwood Select Board delays switch to automated curbside pickup, will put issue to town vote

The Brentwood Select Board voted July 15, 2025, to keep the town’s existing manual curbside trash collection in place until after town meeting and to present a warrant article asking residents whether to adopt an automated curbside program and an ordinance.

The motion, approved by voice vote, follows weeks of public discussion and a staff-drafted draft policy that proposes 95-gallon carts for both trash and recycling, optional additional 65-gallon subscription carts at $225 per year, and a bulky-waste schedule to be set later. The board’s action puts the ultimate decision in voters’ hands at town meeting and delays an anticipated September start for automated pickup.

Why it matters: The decision affects roughly 1,700 households, municipal tipping exposure and near-term budget decisions. Select Board members, town staff and a Casella representative discussed cart sizes and rental terms, swap fees for cart exchanges, pickup logistics, the cost exposure from tipping fees and timelines for…