Blackstone moves recycling center payments online with Unipay; town plans phased cash transition

The Town of Blackstone plans to let residents pay recycling fees online or at the gate after the Board of Selectmen reviewed a demonstration of Unipay on Oct. 22. Collector/treasurer staff described a cart-style online system and an on-site tablet that attendants can use to verify prepayments.

Town officials said the system will let residents add multiple items to a cart (for example, TVs, mattresses and bulky items), pay by e-check, credit card or on-site swipe, and present a printed or phone receipt at the recycling entrance. "Correct. They can go online. They can e check it. They can pay," the collector/treasurer said while explaining how receipts would be issued and validated.

The town expects Unipay to produce itemized reports that will show counts and types of items collected (for instance, mattresses or electronics), a capability officials said they do not currently have for online transactions. Staff acknowledged unresolved details about preventing receipt reuse and said the initial plan is to stamp receipts at the recycling gate and log confirmations in a back-end report. The collector/treasurer described a fallback where a printed confirmation number is added to a paper receipt and retained for reconciliation.

The board discussed fees and payment processing costs. Town staff said e-checks carry a flat 50-cent processing fee while credit-card fees vary by percentage. "E check is cheaper. It's 50¢. Credit card processing fees can range from 3.95 to $5," the collector/treasurer said. Selectmen asked how quickly prices could be updated in Unipay; staff said once the platform is built, revised prices can be pushed to the vendor and updated in a short turnaround.

Officials proposed a phased public rollout to give residents time to adapt and avoid abruptly removing cash acceptance. The town administrator outlined a six-month notice period, with an April 1 target date when the recycling site would stop accepting cash on-site (cash would still be accepted at the collector/treasurer's office during the transition).

The board requested a final vendor demonstration and a flyer listing chargeable items and fees before the town launches the system. Staff said Unipay/Unibank representatives and town assistants will be on-site the first day to help users and troubleshoot the process. The selectmen did not take a formal vote on the Unipay rollout at the meeting; staff said they will return with final materials and a date for approval.

What happens next: Town staff will refine receipt-validation procedures, finalize the online cart/pricing setup, prepare outreach materials and return to the board to seek formal approval ahead of a phased launch.