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Select Board asks staff for alternatives after transfer station hours cut tied to union contract
Summary
After ratification of a union contract changed crew paid hours, the town shortened transfer station public hours; board members said they were not included in the negotiating discussion and tasked staff to propose alternatives (overtime, rotating shifts, weekend adjustments) and compile usage data.
Pembroke Select Board members on June 1 pressed town management for alternatives after transfer station operating hours were reduced — from 3:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on certain days — as a consequence of a newly ratified union contract that adjusted employee paid hours.
Select Board members said the adopted budget had been presented to taxpayers as having no impact on services and expressed frustration that the board had not been involved in the negotiations that led to the operational change. One select board member said, "We stood up in front of taxpayers ... and we specifically said that we were able to propose the budget that we did with no impact to services. That apparently is not true," and urged better coordination in the future.
Staff presented possible approaches to restore or mitigate the lost half-hour, including limited overtime (estimated in discussion at roughly $1,500 per year), rotating the extra half-hour among employees, split shifts, or extending certain Saturdays. Staff warned about safety and coverage concerns if a single worker were left alone during the extended period. The board asked staff to gather traffic counts or historical usage data for the 3:00–3:30 p.m. window, explore staggered staffing options, and return with costed alternatives.
Board members emphasized the need for clearer communication with the public about any permanent changes to hours and asked staff to consider targeted notices (water/sewer/tax bills or social media) once options are developed.
No formal change to hours was reversed at the meeting; the board requested a follow-up report with alternatives and cost estimates.
