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Council tables transfer‑station rule changes after safety, staffing concerns
Summary
After residents and councilors raised safety questions about operating the Headley Street transfer station with a single attendant, the council tabled proposed rule changes and ordered a contract review; previously set sticker pricing remains in place while staff and the contractor return with clarifications on June 22.
The Portsmouth Town Council voted to table proposed operating‑rule changes for the Headley Street transfer station after multiple council members and residents raised safety and staffing concerns about running the facility with a single attendant.
Mr. Rainer explained contractor Waste Connections (operating as Mega/MIGA in town) proposed rule changes after the council approved a staffing reduction from two attendants to one. Proposed changes included a daily lunch closure (about 12:00–12:45 p.m.), revised entry cutoff times to allow cleanup and closing, temporary gate closures during equipment operations, and a cap on vehicles on site during single‑staff operations.
Resident speakers and several council members warned that closing the site for a lunch period or limiting on‑site vehicles could create safety or access problems, particularly if a staff member is delayed or the replacement crew is en route. "I question the safety of just having one guy," resident Chris Matthews said, noting the risk if an attendant were injured or if their vehicle broke down on the way to work.
Mega/MIGA district manager Dave Workman described practical constraints — fleet rotation and truck maintenance — and pledged to improve signage and magnets on trucks so residents can report problems. "I already have plan B or plan C at this point," he said of vehicle identification improvements.
The council voted 7–0 to table the rule changes and directed staff and the contractor to review the contract language and return with recommendations at the June 22 meeting. The previously set transfer‑station sticker price (announced earlier) remains in effect so sales can proceed. Councilors asked finance staff to model alternatives that would preserve current hours and staffing if the enterprise fund can support it in future budgets.
Next steps: staff, contractor and the town solicitor will review contractual staffing obligations and present revised operating rules and cost models on June 22.
