Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mayor details automated curbside cart rollout, bulky-waste stickers and transfer-station option
Summary
Mayor Marchetti described the city’s planned automated cart rollout, said the administration will prioritize education over enforcement in the first six to eight weeks, and outlined the Bulky Waste program (a $20 sticker per item) and transfer-station sticker options for larger items and electronics.
Speaking on a PCTV segment before the council meeting, Mayor Marchetti said Pittsfield will implement an automated curbside cart program that will rely primarily on education with enforcement steps reserved for repeat noncompliance after an initial six-to-eight week outreach period.
"We're not just going to start slapping people with fines," Marchetti said, adding that staff would work with residents before taking enforcement actions. He warned that Casella crews will not pick up loose bags placed outside a closed cart and that items hanging out of an open lid may fall onto a resident’s lawn.
Marchetti detailed the Bulky Waste program: a $20 sticker is required for eligible bulky items (furniture, tires, oversized toys, fencing, upholstered chairs). Stickers can be purchased at the city clerk’s office at City Hall and at Elm Street Hardware & Market; up to 32 properly-stickered items will be collected on designated monthly pickup days. For very large items or electronics, the mayor said residents will be able to take items to the new waste transfer station — expected to be completed in November — using a transfer-station sticker.
On yard waste, Marchetti said residents who buy a $120 annual sticker can drop yard waste for free at the transfer station; a separate $20 yard-waste sticker permits up to 20 bags to be brought in. He encouraged residents with questions to contact the mayor’s office or the Department of Public Works and to attend upcoming informational sessions.
The host thanked the mayor for appearing on PCTV and for explaining the rollout; Marchetti urged patience during the initial implementation period and repeated the contact information for follow-up questions.
What’s next: The city will continue outreach sessions and publish detailed guidance on allowable curbside items, bulky-waste sticker procedures and transfer-station access prior to rollout.
