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DPW urges Select Board to allow negotiation of contracted curbside collection amid staffing and safety strain
Summary
Public Works told the Select Board it is negotiating new waste and recycling contracts and recommends including curbside collection in the procurement because in‑house crews face an aging fleet, recruitment problems and high workers‑comp costs; board signaled support to continue negotiations.
Department of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner Aon Chud briefed the Select Board on a collaborative procurement with Newton for new solid waste collection, recycling processing and disposal contracts that take effect July 1, 2025.
Chud said Brookline currently operates a hybrid model: town crews collect curbside trash while a contractor collects and processes single‑stream recycling and hauls disposal. She told the board in‑house collection has become difficult to sustain because the town cannot reliably fill driver and collector positions, the function has a high injury rate (DPW reported many workers’‑comp claims and lost work days), and the collection fleet is aging and costly to repair — DPW projected roughly $2.4 million in fleet replacement costs over seven years.
Given those challenges, DPW proposed the town either add staff, fleet replacement and training to maintain an in‑house operation or include curbside collection in the new contract so a private operator provides collection, processing and disposal services. Benefits of contracting, Chud said, include cost predictability, modern equipment, enhanced safety programs and reduced liability and operational disruption for other highway divisions.
Board members asked about the disposition of town vehicles (DPW said some vehicles could be auctioned or retained depending on the contract model), implications for collective bargaining and whether contractor jobs would deliver comparable wages and benefits (Chud said private market pay is often higher for sanitation work and DPW has struggled to be competitive). DPW said it is negotiating with bidders that demonstrate both financial proposal and capacity to serve Brookline’s routes.
The board did not take a final vote Oct. 8; Chud said staff will return with recommended contract documents and a full package for board action once negotiations conclude.
