Methuen council approves opt‑in recycling study for condominium communities after amendments

The Methuen City Council voted 8–1 on March 3 to ask the mayor to develop an opt‑in recycling program for condominium associations after a day of amendments and debate.

Supporters said the measure responds to complaints from residents in age‑restricted and large condominium developments whose recycling service had been reduced. Mary Mulligan, treasurer of the Regency at Emerald Pines condominium trust, told the council she was speaking for residents who “ask that you again support this resolution and pass it tonight.”

Council members said they wanted a practical plan that the mayor’s office could produce quickly and that would not impose unplanned new costs on the city. The council removed language calling on the CAFO to solicit vendor pricing within weeks and added a requirement that the mayor meet with “one designated representative” from the 12 condominium developments that raised the issue to provide feedback on a draft plan before it is finalized.

Council debate ranged from support for restoring curbside recycling in the affected developments to concerns about creating a program that could expand broadly and add costs. Councilor Saffey said she feared the effort could “snowball” if the city took on curbside recycling for many associations. Councilor Desaglio, who voiced enforcement concerns about the current private contractor earlier in the meeting, said he would not support the measure unless the city holds the contractor accountable; during that earlier discussion he said, “I’m a no vote unless we start seeing rebates, fines, and some sort of chargeback.”

The final roll call on the resolution was: yes — Councilors Pesch, Saffey, Sotto, Cirillo, Valle, Campagnon, Desaglio and Chair Marston; no — Councilor Ferretra. The vote followed a sequence of amendments that struck the original reference to “business owners” and limited formal input to a single representative from the 12 condominium developments that had raised the complaint.

The resolution asks the mayor to produce an implementation plan by April 7, 2025; council members discussed that deadline in the meeting and several said it may be ambitious. The mayor agreed to prepare a draft and to meet with the designated condominium representative once a draft is available.

Next steps: the mayor’s office will prepare the draft opt‑in plan and meet with the designated condominium representative; if the city pursues vendor pricing later it may be coordinated with any separate procurement the CAFO undertakes for waste services.