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Nelson selectmen explore joining Harrisville recycling center after site visit
Summary
Nelson selectmen met May 7 with Harrisville recycling operator Ben Hoy to review the center’s operations and explore whether Nelson residents would join the service; costs to Nelson are not yet determined and the board plans to survey residents and possibly visit the site.
Nelson selectmen met May 7, 2025, at the Harrisville Recycling Center with facility operator Ben Hoy to discuss whether Nelson residents should be allowed to join Harrisville’s recycling service. The meeting, attended by Chair Brenna Kucinski and selectmen Mike Blaudschun and Don Carlisle (Edie Drinkwater was absent), was held to gather information before any decision.
The Planning Board had asked the selectmen to inquire whether nearby towns — Stoddard or Harrisville — would permit Nelson to use an existing recycling facility; Kucinski previously attended an exploratory meeting with the Harrisville board and the full Nelson board visited the site to evaluate operations. The selectmen described the center as thoughtfully organized and suitable for recycling expansion.
The board and Hoy walked through the site’s layout, noting separate bins for different plastics (labeled by product number), distinct glass and paper receptacles, a separate area for regular trash and a ‘take it or leave it’ donation area. Other recyclable items are accepted by permission and may carry a fee. “We are two ‘like minded’ towns,” Hoy said, arguing that sharing the facility could be beneficial to both communities.
Hoy described current hours as Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., and said the facility is staffed by three employees plus volunteers. He told the selectmen that an additional open day and more staff might be needed if Nelson joined.
The selectmen noted the cost to Nelson remains unclear and would likely be higher than current Harrisville rates; they said determining resident interest would be the next step. The Planning Board intends to include the question in an upcoming Master Plan questionnaire to gauge local support before the towns discuss formal cost-sharing arrangements.
No motion or vote was recorded at the meeting; the board recorded the visit and information as part of ongoing fact-finding about regional recycling options. The record of the meeting is signed by Brenna Kucinski, Chair; Mike Blaudschun, Selectman; and Don Carlisle, Selectman.
