Wells officials weigh options after transfer station shows $120K–$180K recycling shortfall

Wells town staff told the Select Board on July 1 that the town faces a recycling-related budget gap of roughly $120,000 to $180,000 for the current year and asked for guidance on how to cover the shortfall.

The staff presentation said the town handled about 770 tons of recyclables, which costs more to process than normal trash and is driving the gap. “We have over 78,700 and something 770 tons of recycling. And that cost us more money than the normal trash takeaway,” a town staff speaker said. The staff estimated the recycling expense at about $120,000 this year but also described a broader $180,000 gap once town usage is included.

The request to the board was practical: direct staff on whether to increase the $5 vehicle sticker, raise the price of town trash bags, begin charging a fee for recycling drop‑offs, or accept a larger share from general tax revenue. The staff said the $5 sticker currently “covers the cost of the sticker. It doesn’t cover anything else,” and that stickers sell “about 8,000” per year, which at $5 would generate roughly $40,000 in revenue. The town also reported the current bag price is $4 per bag (20 bags for $80 was referenced), and earlier discussions had considered raising the bag price to $5.

Why it matters: the town’s recycling contract and processing costs have risen faster than the sticker-and-bag revenue model covers, and town…