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Business owner warns once‑a‑week pickups risk public‑health problem; town and resort discuss solutions
Summary
A Waterville Valley hotel operator told the select board that transfer‑station dumpster service reduced to once weekly is creating business and public‑health concerns; town staff said staffing shortages require interim cuts and the board asked staff to pursue communications and hiring options.
Jim DeRocher, who identified himself as being "from the Black Bear Lodge," told the Waterville Valley Select Board on Nov. 19 that transfer‑station service reductions have left businesses and residents uncertain about when dumpsters will be emptied.
"The once per week pickup not knowing when the pickup will occur will become a hardship for businesses, especially in the upcoming season," DeRocher said, adding that inconsistent service "will become a public health issue." He urged the town to treat transfer‑station management as a priority, consider contracting with a third party, or offer rebates for businesses that manage their own waste.
Town staff acknowledged the shortfall. Megan, a town operations staffer, told the board the town currently has only one CDL‑licensed driver who also performs plowing and other winter duties, and that staffing limits mean most dumpster locations will be collected once a week this winter; larger locations may receive two pickups weekly. "We are committing to once a week for everybody," she said, and asked residents to refrain from repeatedly calling to check pickup timing while the department manages reduced capacity.
Board members pressed staff for options. Chair Richard Reid said the town could consider short‑term alternatives—hiring a third‑party hauler, using a part‑time CDL driver, or rearranging transfer‑station hours—to reduce service disruption. Resort representatives and residents urged clearer communications so businesses can plan around collection days. Tim, the resort's general manager, offered to help with CDL training or temporary driver solutions.
The board asked Select Board member Wendy Ratconberg to coordinate with staff and the municipal solid‑waste working group to develop a communications plan and to explore short‑term hiring or contract options. Staff said recruitment efforts are ongoing and that weekend/nonemergency contact numbers for service issues are (603) 236‑4732.
The board emphasized that the once‑a‑week schedule is an interim measure tied to staffing and snow‑season duties and said it expects staff to return with options at the next meetings and to work with the resort and property managers to reduce operational impacts.
The meeting record shows the board discussed long‑term solutions—such as adding dumpsters, revising routes, or subsidizing transfers—but did not adopt a final policy at the Nov. 19 session.
