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Milford public works trims staff lines, eyes $5.5M wastewater bond and grapples with rising energy and recycling costs
Summary
Public Works outlined cuts to three positions, reductions in overtime and disposal fees after a new contract, but warned of large energy and equipment cost increases and proposed $5.5M in wastewater bonding; stormwater testing costs rose sharply because of state mandates.
Public Works Director Chris Sali told the Board of Finance that his department trimmed three positions across solid waste and the garage, reduced overtime by about $200,000 through contract adjustments and cut an estimated $250,000 in disposal fees after a favorable five‑year hauling contract.
Sali warned that utility and equipment costs have jumped — he cited about a $200,000 increase in electricity and a $150,000 rise in heating oil — and that an aging fleet, especially trash trucks, remains expensive to maintain. He said two wing plows will be delivered in May and the mayor has authorized ordering two more next year, but procurement lead times since COVID mean new equipment can take 18 months to arrive.
On wastewater and bonding, Sali said the mayor authorized a $5.5 million bonding request for wastewater needs, down from a $7.9 million departmental ask. He framed the request as critical to ongoing infrastructure work and said some projects may need further future funding.
Stormwater testing was flagged as an unfunded state mandate; Sali said the town is not yet fully meeting all state requirements and budgeted about $32,600 for testing this year and expects the cost to grow. He told the board that the city had hired Fuss & O'Neill to help with compliance work.
Sali also described recycling challenges, saying contamination and glass in single‑stream loads can turn otherwise recyclable material into trash; he estimated Milford does better than many towns but said the commodity market remains difficult and costs can rise from roughly $85/ton to $125/ton with contamination. He proposed public education and source‑separation options, including satellite cardboard collection sites, to reduce contamination.
No formal vote on bonding or these operating changes was taken at the hearing; Sali said the board will see related bond resolutions next week.
