Selectboard pauses Transfer Station policy adoption, forms five‑member advisory committee after public complaint

The Stoddard Selectboard on May 27 decided to pause the adoption of new Transfer Station policies due to concerns the proposed rules establish an advisory committee to study operations; instead, the board agreed to form that five‑member Transfer Station Committee, to include one Selectboard member, to investigate staffing, hours, attendant qualifications, enforcement, load reduction, traffic flow, space optimization, attendant job descriptions and potential facility changes.

The committee’s scope includes 11 items the board outlined: staffing requirements; service hours; attendant qualifications and duties; whether attendants should be present when the facility is closed; enforcement approaches; load‑reduction strategies; traffic flow and safety; container placement and compactor options; attendant job descriptions; installing a Share Shed or Book Shed; and separate management for mattress disposal. Cindy Sterling of Keene offered her solid‑waste consulting expertise and the town administrator exchanged contact information with her.

During public comment, resident Margo Santoro said she was accused of dumping five plastic boat covers from the boat store at the Transfer Station and asked what was "going on" and for an apology because she said the boat store was being hurt by the letter sent to the business. Chair Terri LaRoche said the town had not named the store and that the attendant only reported seeing a woman dispose of items and a resident relayed a belief that the person worked at the boat store. Town Administrator Michelle Pong said she would write a letter to the Monadnock Boat Store confirming the board’s continued efforts to protect resident interests and taxpayers.

Board members said the committee should analyze operational and cost‑saving changes rather than immediately adopt the proposed policies; the committee will return recommendations to the Selectboard for action.