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Solid Waste proposes second scale and new scale house to cut traffic and improve weights accounting
Summary
Solid Waste manager presented a plan to add a second scale and a modular scale house at the transfer station to reduce vehicle queueing on Madaket Road, provide accurate gross/net weights and support improved traffic flow and accounting.
The transfer station’s single-scale configuration contributes to weekend backups onto Madaket Road, and solid-waste staff on Oct. 23 asked the committee to support engineering, permitting and construction funding for a second scale and a new modular scale house.
Chris Lowe, solid waste manager, said the second scale would provide redundancy, reduce queuing and let the town capture accurate gross and tare weights for incoming and outgoing loads. "It will...make us more efficient," Lowe said. He described a site plan that would require excavation into an area that currently contains mining spoils, a retaining wall and drainage work, and the installation of a modular (modified shipping-container) scale house with a proper foundation rather than the current structure’s stacked‑block siting.
Operational notes: Lowe said the scale itself, site work and a scale-house foundation are town responsibilities; operations and staffing of the scale are handled in the existing service contract (Waste Options). Lowe said Waste Options could provide a second operator but at an additional contract cost, and that the town should plan to staff and maintain the physical scale infrastructure. The town also plans to lengthen/extend the existing scale so export tractor‑trailers (longer vehicles) can be weighed reliably.
Funding: The presentation noted an existing appropriation of about $193,800 from an earlier authorization; staff provided an all-in cost estimate and offset that amount to produce the requested supplemental appropriation for design, permitting, construction, OPM and contingency. Staff said adding a second scale should reduce turnaround time and avoid the need to close the facility if the single scale fails.
Ending: Committee members asked for confirmation of expected traffic improvements; Lowe and supporting staff said engineering work and permitting will further define site layout and expected queue reductions and that staff will return with final cost and phasing details.
