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 staff said they are not trying to make a profit but to break even. Without action, staff warned, the enterprise fund that pays transfer-station costs will continue to run a deficit.

Key details and options discussed - Staff estimated two figures in public remarks: about $120,000 for direct recycling costs and up to $180,000 when town usage and related costs are included. The staff said they would separate the town-usage portion (to be paid from taxes) and return with numbers showing the breakouts. - Increase sticker price: staff said sticker sales (~8,000) would generate about $40,000 if stickers rose from $5 to $10; staff noted to cover the larger shortfall sticker prices might need to reach the mid‑teens to mid‑$20s, which officials said would be politically and practically difficult. - Increase bag price: the town currently sells bags at $4 (20 for $80 was discussed); staff and board members discussed raising the bag price incrementally (examples cited: $1 increase to $5 per bag pack) or setting a multi‑year escalator tied to costs. - Charge for recycling at the transfer station: staff said charging at the gate is “near impossible without changing the procedures at the transfer station” because it would require extra labor, scales, or dedicated containers. Several Select Board members noted that a user-fee for recycling would be more equitable in principle (a true user-fee) but acknowledged the operational complexity and monitoring challenges (people may place cardboard around bags or use dishonest workarounds). - Sell separate recycling bags: one board member suggested a clear bag with a different sticker to distinguish recycling from trash, but others noted dishonest behavior and operational burdens would persist unless bag prices differed. - Alternative: make the transfer station fully sticker-funded (raise sticker to cover full operating cost). One participant observed that, at high sticker prices (e.g., $100), some users would avoid buying stickers and seek other disposal methods; the broader equity impacts were discussed.

Next steps Staff asked the board to provide guidance and, if desired, the Select Board agreed staff should return in the fall with a workshop and a set of modeling scenarios showing: (a) the effect of raising sticker prices to various levels, (b) the effect of bag-price changes, (c) a plan to charge for recycling (including estimated labor/administrative costs), and (d) how much of the shortfall the town would carry with tax dollars. Staff said they will supply counts of stickers and bag sales and the town-usage breakout before the next budget-season meeting. The board and staff discussed implementing a multi-year escalator so residents would see predictable smaller increases rather than a single large jump.

Quotes “We're not trying to make money. Right? That's not the goal. We're just trying to break even at best,” a staff speaker said while outlining the shortfall.

What remains uncertain Staff presented a range ($120,000–$180,000) rather than a single firm figure and said some contract renewals and wage changes due this year will further affect costs. The board asked staff to bring fully reconciled numbers and policy options to a planned fall workshop so the board can decide whether to raise stickers, bags, charge for recycling, or shift more cost to taxes.

Speakers - Staff member (waste/transfer-station presenter) — identified in transcript as the staff presenter for transfer‑station revenues and costs - Select Board members (unnamed in transcript) — asked clarifying questions and gave general direction

Clarifying details - Estimated recycling tonnage mentioned in meeting: ~770 tons. - Staff’s cost estimates mentioned in meeting: $120,000 (recycling line item) and $180,000 (total shortfall including town usage), both cited by staff during the discussion. - Sticker sales cited: about 8,000 stickers sold per year. - Current bag price cited in discussion: $4 per bag pack (20 for $80 reference in transcript); a prior proposal to raise to $5 was discussed.

Searchable tags: transfer station, recycling, user fees, stickers, bag prices, waste management, Casella