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Georgetown solid waste committee recommends raising HHW and electronics lines, eyes VOIP savings
Summary
At its Feb. 13 meeting the Georgetown Solid Waste Management Committee recommended boosting Household Hazardous Waste and Universal Waste budget lines, proposed moving the phone line to a VOIP allocation, and asked staff to check compactor replacement costs from reserves.
The Georgetown Solid Waste Management Committee reviewed its 2025–26 proposed budget at a Feb. 13, 2025 Zoom meeting and recommended increases to household hazardous‑waste and electronics disposal lines while exploring a switch to VOIP phone service.
Ole Jaeger reported that 52% of the solid waste disposal line has been expended so far this fiscal year and that the phone line item is at 97 percent after the Consolidated Communication bill was increased to include Axiom broadband. He also said Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) spending is at about 79 percent with a May HHW collection still to come.
Committee members agreed to raise the HHW line from $4,000 to $5,000 and to increase Universal Waste (electronics) from $4,000 (recommended) to $4,000 in the draft budget to reflect growing disposal costs and volume. Alison Freeman emphasized that HHW collection events are for households only and that businesses should use private disposal companies; Jim Coombs maintains a list of such vendors.
As recommended by Terry Taylor of the Financial Advisory Committee, members discussed eliminating the current phone line item if the town switches to VOIP. The committee recorded estimated one‑time fiber costs of $624 and VOIP service at $300 (total $924), and rounded that estimate to $1,000 in the draft budget pending confirmation by the Town Office.
The committee left safety funding at $500 and reduced training to $200, noting most training occurs via Zoom. No specific capital projects were identified for 2025–26; however, Dave Polito will ask Jim Coombs to contact Atlantic Recycling Equipment for compactor replacement cost estimates to determine whether reserve funds are sufficient.
Alison Freeman said she will email the proposed budget to committee members and to Terry Taylor for inclusion or further revision. The committee approved the Jan. 9, 2025 minutes by unanimous vote during the meeting and adjourned by unanimous motion later in the agenda.
