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Middletown reviews plan to extend 'Save As You Throw' as DEEP offers bridge funding
Summary
At a Sept. 3 workshop the Middletown Common Council reviewed extending its Sanitation District's Save As You Throw pilot after Connecticut DEEP offered nearly $200,000 in bridge funding; officials outlined reduced bag prices, proposed enforcement steps and two fee scenarios ($280 with DEEP support vs $480 without).
The Middletown Common Council convened a special workshop on Sept. 3 to review proposed modifications and a possible extension of the Sanitation District's Save As You Throw pilot program, and heard that the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has approved bridge funding that would reduce costs for many residents.
Deputy and acting director of public works Howard Weisberg said Connecticut faces “a waste crisis,” noting closures of disposal options and rising tip fees, and presented five key items in a proposed resolution (8,824) to continue the pilot. “The 1st point, is reduce the cost of the bags for trash cart users,” Weisberg said, and later added that “DEEP has approved additional bridge funding of nearly $200,000 for the next fiscal year.”
Why it matters: speakers said the program aims to lower household costs, reduce trash sent out of state and increase food-scrap diversion. Consultant Mark Dancy presented two paths: accept DEEP support and a proposed $280 annual fee per 95-gallon cart (plus bag purchases), or forgo DEEP funding and face a projected $480 annual fee. Dancy told the council the pilot produced about 32% trash reduction and estimated roughly $1.6 million in local savings over 10 years if reductions continue.
Details of the proposal and debate
City staff described five recommended changes: reduce bag prices (larger bags down about 30', medium 15', small 10'); avoid raising residential cart fees this year because of DEEP bridge funding; implement a missed-pickup fee for repeated noncompliance subject to field verification; replace an open free-bag assistance program with a low-cost assistance option to preserve incentive value; and use DEEP funds for education and enforcement.
Dancy, the program consultant, said the $280 option is designed so that “90 to 95% will save money” compared with the alternative. He also described the enforcement approach: truck cameras will flag potential violations, but staff would perform on-the-ground checks before any fee is imposed. “It's not gonna be done from the camera...the camera tells you...and then if we see frequent violations, then people are gonna go on the ground and open up the cart and visually inspect,” Dancy said, adding the intent is to educate rather than punish.
Council members pressed for specifics on enforcement and equity. Councilwoman Jeanette Blackwell asked the presenters to “define what 'compliance' means,” and whether a referenced $30 fee would appear on the sanitation bill or be charged per incident; staff answered that charges would be applied on a six-month billing cycle and field verification would be required before a repeated-offender fee was charged.
Councilwoman Kelly Sweeney said vague standards could produce inconsistent enforcement and urged numeric triggers (for example, two or three violations) that would prompt action. Staff replied the program will adopt clearer criteria and that the sanitation district is reviewing existing assistance procedures.
Dumpsters, commercial fees and local cost pressures
John Porter, chair of the Sanitation Commission, briefed the council on cost pressures behind the program: he said tip fees rose roughly 34', wages about 15' and overall operating costs about 54.2'; the commission earlier approved a 30' increase in dumpster rates to move closer to parity with costs. Porter's figures were offered to explain why the district is seeking program adjustments and additional funding.
Assistance criteria
Staff acknowledged that the initial assistance program had broad eligibility and said the commission will tighten criteria. A staff member identified in the meeting as Kim O'Rourke said the commission will work with Human Services to develop clearer standards for who qualifies for low-cost assistance once free bags are discontinued.
Next steps
No resolution was adopted at the workshop. The council recorded a motion to adjourn the workshop at 6:31 p.m. and said the proposed continuation (resolution 8,824) would be considered at the council's regular meeting on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. for any formal action.
Actions recorded in the workshop included a procedural motion to adjourn that was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.
