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Middletown council keeps Save As You Throw pilot, adopts targeted fixes after hours of public comment
Summary
After more than two hours of public comment split sharply between renters and environmental advocates, Middletown’s Common Council voted to continue the Save As You Throw sanitation pilot but ordered immediate changes including lower-cost assistance bags, a missed‑pickup fee for repeat noncompliance, and a request for more DEEP education funding.
The Middletown Common Council voted to continue the Save As You Throw sanitation pilot on Sept. 3, adopting a resolution that keeps the program in place while directing staff to make changes intended to reduce burdens on residents and stabilize finances.
Supporters and opponents packed the chamber and spoke online during a lengthy public‑comment period. Opponents — many landlords and residents in the sanitation district — called the system unfair to tenants and questioned the price and enforcement mechanisms. “If you’re forcing me to buy the bags for my tenants, you’re likely to get a rent increase and housing instability,” landlord Rick Siena said during public comment. Residents described broken bags, inconsistent enforcement and extra costs for larger households.
Union leaders, public‑works staff and public‑safety officials defended the program’s environmental and fiscal rationale. “This program has reduced non‑organic waste by roughly a third in the pilot area and attracted DEEP grant funding,” said a member of the Sanitation District Commission during the hearing. Central Communications Director Wayne Bartolotta and other municipal staff urged adjustments rather than ending the pilot, warning that scaling back now could jeopardize long‑term savings and composting infrastructure.
The resolution approved by the council requires several near‑term steps: adjust the residential billing fee in the ordinance to reflect changes in tipping fees; implement a missed‑pickup fee for repeated noncompliance; overhauling the assistance program so it supplies lower‑cost bags rather than free bags; and request further financial support from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection for continued outreach and enforcement until the pilot reaches fiscal stability. The roll‑call vote recorded eight in favor; the resolution passed.
Council members signaled that the sanitation committee will continue to refine definitions of “compliance” and the application of assistance to avoid disproportionately affecting renters and low‑income households. Council members also stressed the need for better public information about how the pilot interfaces with private haulers, opt‑out fees, and the sanitation district’s boundaries.
The council’s action keeps the pilot active while ordering staff to return with more detailed options for addressing landlord/tenant equity concerns, enforcement standards, and cost offsets. The Council chair said the committee will monitor outcomes and report back as the city works to balance waste reduction goals with fairness and affordability.
