Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Georgetown committee drafts 2026–27 solid-waste budget, flags equipment reserve shortfall
Summary
The Georgetown Solid Waste Management Committee reviewed a draft FY2026–27 budget that holds key line items steady while noting the town's equipment reserve will drop once a compactor invoice is paid. Committee members debated reserve levels, an office replacement estimate, and projected disposal cost increases.
The Georgetown Solid Waste Management Committee on Feb. 12 reviewed a draft budget for July 1, 2026—June 30, 2027, while noting a temporary accounting discrepancy tied to the recent compactor replacement.
Terry Taylor, Financial Advisory Committee representative, told members the Equipment Reserve Fund still shows $25,000 even though the compactor replacement is complete; the town has not yet received the installation invoice, and the reserve will fall to zero once that invoice is paid. Taylor urged the committee to review the FAC's proposal ahead of the FAC's finalization next month.
The draft includes a $2,000 contingency and an Equipment Reserve Fund line initially set at $6,000 (committee discussion included a suggestion from Taylor to keep $4,000). Committee members discussed likely future reserve charges including placement of Jersey barriers and base repairs under the metals area. Alison Freeman said the transfer station office may need replacing; Dave Polito said targeted repairs such as a floor replacement could be sufficient and estimated a full replacement at roughly $20,000—$30,000.
Committee members reviewed the line-item proposals in detail. Highlights: general operations $2,600; licensing fees (SPO, DEP) $800; maintenance and repairs $4,000; phone and internet $1,200; safety equipment $500; training $100; station attendants $88,331 (last year's budget plus 3 percent, pending Select Board COLA decisions and holiday pay adjustments); utilities $1,300; and a solid-waste disposal allocation of $119,000. The committee was presented with a 15-year tonnage review showing relatively stable compactor tonnage and a modest increase in bulky-waste tonnage.
The FAC projected hauling and tipping fees will remain $270 per trip next year. The draft budgets use projected per-ton rates of $133 for compactor material (assuming a 5 percent tonnage increase and a 10 percent cost increase) and $157 per ton for bulky waste (assuming a 10 percent increase in both tonnage and cost). Household hazardous waste was proposed at $4,000, recycling contract costs at $16,382.81 under the Lincoln County Recycling contract, and universal waste at $3,000 (current-year spending was reported at roughly 25 percent of budgeted funds).
Committee members agreed there are no planned capital improvements for 2026—27 and discussed a dumpster inspection to identify units that may need future replacement. The committee left the draft for final review ahead of next month's budget finalization by the FAC and Select Board.
