Selectmen approve revised solid-waste permit fee ordinance, set per-pound pricing and limits for large loads

The Board of Selectmen approved a revision to Alton’s solid-waste permit fee ordinance on Jan. 27 that changes how construction and residential loads are accepted at the town facility.

Key changes in the updated ordinance include a sticker fee (two-year sticker; $20 for two years as presented in discussion), the adoption of a per-pound fee for most materials (discussed in the hearing as $0.10 per pound), a 10% surcharge for loads over 4 cubic yards, and a requirement that contractors or resident permit-holders bringing loads over 4 cubic yards provide building-permit verification showing the load is from an in-town job. The updated rules also limit acceptance of very large trailers at the municipal site and include operational clarifications such as cutting long materials to 8-foot lengths to ease handling.

Public works and scale-house staff explained how the changes address growing numbers of large contractor trailers, the wear-and-tear and additional cleanup time associated with those loads, and the potential to recover a fairer share of labor and disposal costs. The board discussed enforcement mechanisms (sticker checks at the scale house, staff vigilance and voucher options for short-term rentals) and agreed staff would coordinate with Lakes Region Planning Commission partners and with New Hampshire Lakes if grant-funded projects might be affected by changes to pond levels or related projects.

After discussion about contractor pushback and implementation logistics, the board voted to adopt the ordinance revisions as presented.