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Alton board approves solid-waste ordinance revisions, raises household sticker to $20 (two-year)
Summary
The Alton Board of Selectmen approved revisions to the town's solid-waste permit fee ordinance on Jan. 13, 2026 that change pricing to per-pound scaling, add a $1 per-gallon charge for contaminated waste oil, create a short-term rental coupon book, and raise the household sticker from $1 to $20 for a two-year period.
The Alton Town Board of Selectmen on Jan. 13 adopted a package of revisions to the town solid-waste permit fee ordinance that changes how construction and bulky waste are charged, creates a short‑term rental coupon option and raises the household sticker fee to $20 for a two‑year cycle.
Seth, the presenter from the town’s solid-waste facility, told the board the draft replaces an older ‘by-the-yard’ system with a scale-based charge — proposed at $0.10 per pound — and adds a 10% surcharge on loads larger than four yards “to address the people that are bringing in the larger loads.” He also proposed a $1-per-gallon disposal fee for contaminated waste oil and authority for staff to refuse oil acceptance when safe storage is unavailable.
The changes also remove several items from the ordinance’s mandatory-recycling list because the town lacks local markets or vendors for certain plastics and paper, while confirming continued collection of glass and a regional Styrofoam collection arrangement with a hub in Guilford.
Seth described a short-term rental coupon book that owners could buy for $100 (20 one-day access coupons, roughly $5 per use) to allow tenants to dispose of household trash at the transfer station. He said the book would be tied to the short-term rental permit number so town staff can track use.
After discussion about enforcement, sticker placement and regional comparisons, Chair moved to allow Seth to change the household sticker price from $1 to $20 effective Jan. 13, 2026; a board member amended the motion to specify the fee covers a two-year period. The motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: Town staff said typical sticker sales are in the thousands annually and that a $20 biannual fee would produce measurable revenue to help cover the rising costs of municipal solid-waste (MSW) disposal. Short-term rental coupons and the construction-surcharge target higher-cost users while retaining hardship or operational discretion at the gatehouse.
What’s next: The ordinance revisions will be incorporated in a clean draft and posted for public review; several board members requested clear, public-facing copies of the changes before future hearings.
