Hooksett advisory committee backs rescinding condo trash reimbursement, seeks higher concrete fee

The Hooksett Recycling & Transfer Advisory Committee voted July 22 to advise the Town Council to remove a semiannual reimbursement to condominium associations and discussed raising transfer‑station disposal fees, citing losses on concrete and rising vendor surcharges.

The committee’s recommendation follows presentation of a year‑to‑date product and invoicing report for the transfer station. Committee members said the town paid roughly $4,389 in fuel and environmental surcharges over the year while charging residents only $378 for concrete disposals under the current fee structure. Staff proposed increasing the concrete charge from a $5 per half‑truckload (current town fee) to $50 per ton (about 2.5 cents per pound) to cover disposal and vehicle wear and tear.

Why it matters: committee members said the concrete shortfall, vendor fuel surcharges and other material market changes are straining the transfer station’s revenue fund and that removing the condominium reimbursement could free money for other basic services. The committee also reviewed equipment and capital needs including a new dump trailer and an upgraded horizontal baler, both to be paid from the transfer station’s solid waste disposal revenue fund rather than the town’s operating budget.

Committee and staff statements

Andre (staff member) summarized the town’s ordinance language and the council’s options. He told the committee that "Section 3 of the trash ordinance…