Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Waste Management topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Tamworth board weighs charging for chipping, truck scale and recycling building
Summary
The board discussed new revenue and cost‑control options for the transfer station — including charging for chipping, installing a truck scale and building a 60x60 recycling building — and set a public hearing on fee changes for Oct. 3.
Tamworth’s select board spent a large portion of its Sept. 5 meeting on operations at the town transfer station, where staff say worn equipment and rising operating costs make a modest user fee and a truck scale worth considering.
Brian Gillespie, the transfer station supervisor, told the board that equipment is running but three municipal solid waste (MSW) containers have holes and leak, creating ongoing maintenance and cleanliness problems. Gillespie urged the board to consider a fee for chipper use to help cover diesel and wear, saying, "I would recommend charging," and offering sample figures during the discussion ("if you charge $10 for, say, the average pile... I don't think anybody would really have a problem").
Board members discussed how to implement charges and suggested a soft launch with two weeks of advertising to alert residents before fees begin. Several members favored installing a truck scale and charging by weight when that is feasible; staff said the scale would enable per‑pound billing for brush, construction/demolition (C&D) and bulky waste rather than imprecise eye estimates.
Town staff and vendors said the scale plus site work, trenching and concrete pads would increase costs substantially: one staff member summarized the vendor estimate as "a little over a hundred thousand dollars, including the concrete work." The board asked staff to check grant requirements (including Buy America rules tied to USDA funding) and to seek competitive bids from at least two scale firms.
Members also discussed a proposed 60‑by‑60 recycling building sited near the current chip pile and agreed the bathroom project should be built first so the site is not torn up twice. The board said it will hold a public hearing on proposed fee changes on Oct. 3 and requested clear fee signage and a transition period so residents are informed before enforcement.
The board did not adopt any new fee at the meeting; it asked staff to prepare a public notice, a draft fee schedule tied to scale‑weights where possible, and an outreach plan for the Oct. 3 hearing.
