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Deep River committee reviews transfer-station ordinance, pricing and recycling plans
Summary
At a Feb. 10 special meeting, the Deep River Transfer Station Committee reviewed progress on a revised transfer-station ordinance, discussed updating the attendant job description, examined sample commercial pricing and regional recycling options, and considered operational changes including a limited-membership idea. The meeting adjourned at 5:50 P.M.
The Deep River Transfer Station Committee met on Feb. 10, 2026, to review progress on a revised Transfer Station Ordinance, consider an updated attendant job description, follow up on commercial contract pricing and recycling efforts, and discuss possible operational changes.
Carol Jones of the Selectboard reported that a revised Transfer Station Ordinance is not yet on a firm timeline but the committee hopes it will be ready by April; when completed, the committee plans to post both the current and revised ordinances online so residents can compare versions. Committee members said an updated attendant job description will be important for clarifying duties and strengthening enforcement of proper handling and disposal of recyclables. The minutes record that four sample job descriptions from other Connecticut towns were distributed to guide the update.
Public Works Director Eric Waltke provided a sample price sheet from B and L Construction, Inc. (Old Saybrook) showing public charges for disposing brush, logs, stumps and bricks by load size; the minutes note the town's current bulky-waste/C&D disposal cost at Eastern Transfer is $140 per ton. The committee discussed using the sample to update Deep River's public price list to better reflect disposal costs.
On recycling, Lenore Grunko summarized a Jan. 28 RiverCOG meeting where representatives from 17 River towns discussed shared challenges and the possibility of forming town clusters to develop regional waste facilities for composting and thin-plastics collection. The committee plans follow-up meetings that will include selectmen and other town officials.
Committee members discussed several operational options to respond to declining municipal solid-waste tonnage. The minutes record a suggestion to require residents to use clear plastic garbage bags to encourage recycling and an option raised by Selectman Duane Gates to close the local facility and send residents to Eastern Transfer with the town covering disposal fees; Gates noted that lower compactor use could extend the life of Deep River's compactor. The minutes also record a revenue idea for a limited-membership program described in the text as "100 Chester Residents @ $300/year/household." The committee did not record a clarification in the minutes about the reference to "Chester," and members indicated they would follow up on membership design and eligibility.
The minutes include historical monthly municipal-solid-waste tonnage figures from 2018 through 2025 showing a steady decline (2018: 89.6; 2019: 74; 2020: 95.6; 2021: 62.4; 2022: 74.25; 2023: 65.18; 2024: 53.41; 2025: 52.16). Committee members cited the drop in tonnage in discussing revenue and operational options.
Under new business, Jones said she would seek funds to repaint the transfer-station building from red to green to match a new oil shed. A motion to adjourn was made by Katharine K. David and seconded by Jim Lockhart; the motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 5:50 P.M. The minutes were signed "Respectfully submitted" by Katharine K. David, secretary.
Next steps recorded in the minutes include follow-up meetings with selectmen and continued work on the ordinance, job description, and pricing updates.
