A Wolfeboro resident told the commission that noise from early-morning garbage collection at Hunter's Shop and Save is disturbing neighbors and that prior attempts to resolve the problem through the store and the hauler have not produced a lasting fix.
Robert Arndt, a resident at 40 Union Street, said he and neighbors have repeatedly complained about early stops by Casella trucks and the noise caused when compactors run and debris is handled. "They've been coming early in the morning and create a lot of noise," Arndt said. He told the commission he sent a letter to owner Dan Craftery and contacted the company and town staff with limited results.
Nut graf: Town officials discussed enforcement paths ranging from calling the police for individual disturbances to raising the issue with the select board and code enforcement to consider whether ordinance changes or permit conditions for commercial collection schedules would be appropriate.
What happened at the meeting: Chief Sean Warren and members of the commission reviewed the logistics and legal frameworks for noise enforcement. Warren noted town ordinance language concerning "unreasonable noise" and suggested Arndt take the matter to the board of selectmen to address hours and quiet periods under the ordinance. "Your conversation has got to be with the board of selectmen," Warren said, describing how quiet hours and express prohibitions are handled under the town code.
Arndt said he had called police about a noise incident on July 1 and that he did not receive a response; he also said overnight construction noise connected to a refrigeration installation had required police intervention during the rebuild. A member of the public who spoke later suggested that the town's noise rules might allow the town to require a permit for large collection operations and that the recent removal of two buildings after a fire eliminated a sound buffer, increasing the neighborhood impact.
Discussion vs. direction vs. decision: The meeting recorded discussion and suggested next steps; officials did not adopt a new regulation or issue an enforcement action at the meeting. Chief Warren and the code enforcement officer said they would follow up: "Either he or I will get back to and tell you what we find out," Warren said. Attendees were advised to call police if noise is disturbing their peace for individual incidents.
Clarifying details from the meeting: Arndt has occupied his residence since 1996 and reports the change in collection location occurred about a year earlier, after a store rebuild. He described calls to Casella that resulted in routine customer-service responses. The town's code enforcement and police both had been involved previously; a fall 2024 meeting with store management was reported. A speaker at the meeting noted the town operates under the Dillon Rule and suggested the town could use permitting authority to control timing for large collection vehicles.
Ending: Town staff and the code enforcement officer agreed to follow up with Arndt and with store and hauler representatives to seek a solution; residents were urged to report future disturbances to police as they occur so officers can take immediate steps under the ordinance.