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Portsmouth council splits $250,000 curbside deficit, rejects three‑year extension
Summary
After hours of debate over fees and contractor concessions, the council rejected a three‑year contract extension and instead elected to split an estimated $250,000 curbside deficit over two years, lowering the immediate sticker price for curbside service for residents.
The Portsmouth Town Council voted to split an estimated $250,000 shortfall in the curbside trash program over two years rather than accept a three‑year contract extension with the single contractor.
Town Administrator Mr. Rainer outlined four options for the council: recover the full deficit in fiscal 2027 (sticker ~ $604); spread the recovery over two years (sticker ~ $569); adopt the proposed contract amendment and recover in one year (sticker ~ $555); or adopt the amendment and amortize the deficit over two years (sticker ~ $520). After extended discussion about participation rates, truck maintenance, complaint tracking and the tradeoffs of contract length, the council voted to adopt option two — no contract extension and splitting the deficit — by a 5–2 margin.
Why it mattered: council members said the decision prioritizes short‑term relief for residents while avoiding a multi‑year extension that some said would lock the town into longer obligations. Several members warned that understating future participation or miscalculating costs could produce new shortfalls.
Councilors questioned both process and math. Miss McDow, citing an estimated shortfall of roughly 1,200 households under the contract assumptions, urged better complaint tracking and stronger truck identification so residents can report missed pickups. "We asked for these changes to be able to bring down the cost," she said; "the only thing we had to give this company was time." Mr. Per argued that the long‑term concessions secured by staff offered budgetary certainty and recommended the amortization option if the council wanted stability. "Long‑term option four is probably the most advantageous for our residents," he said during debate before the motion failed.
The contractor’s district manager, Dave Workman of Mega/MIGA, told the council he is replacing large truck magnets and adding phone numbers to vehicles to improve transparency and said he would "get the logo to stay on the trucks." He acknowledged missed pickups and pledged to improve operations.
The vote and next steps: the motion to adopt option two (split the deficit, no extension) passed 5–2. Councilors asked staff to proceed with sticker sales and to return with refined fiscal projections; staff said stickers would go on sale within days and that auditors would arrive later in June to review internal controls.
What the vote did not do: the council did not adopt a contract extension or finalize any immediate change to operational staffing for curbside pickup. Any future motion to alter contract length or vendor responsibilities would require separate votes.
The council is scheduled to revisit related enterprise fund numbers and transfer‑station rules at its next meeting on June 22.
