Town officials warn solid‑waste costs will rise after Bethlehem Landfill closure

Town budget officials told a joint meeting that the solid‑waste budget for the coming year reflects higher personnel costs, corrected insurance calculations and a likely increase in trucking expenses tied to the impending closure of the Bethlehem Landfill. Chair (S1) and department staff reviewed wage steps for three full‑time and two part‑time workers and flagged vendor and hauling changes that are driving up contracted services.

The discussion centered on three concrete drivers of the budget change: a 3% general wage increase and individual merit/step increases for certified staff; a corrected property liability calculation that staff said had previously omitted building and equipment coverage; and longer trucking routes because local disposal at the Bethlehem Landfill will no longer be available. “...the impending closure of the Bethlehem Landfill, and we're gonna be paying more trucking,” Chair (S1) said during the presentation.

Why it matters: staff said hauling farther to alternate disposal sites will raise contracted transportation costs even if some shipping fees drop, and those costs are material to the department’s operating budget. The department also budgeted $8,000 for a biannual household hazardous‑waste collection and added QuickBooks for billing software to centralize customer accounts.

Budget questions at the meeting probed which increases were one‑time repairs and which were ongoing. Officials said recent vehicle and equipment work — belts, tracks and other repairs — was largely one‑time, while the landfill‑driven trucking increases are expected to persist until disposal capacity is resolved.

Next steps: staff agreed to keep work with the waste contractor under review and to return with any contract renegotiation options. Members also asked that clearer budget documents be circulated for follow‑up questions and possible remote recommendation votes.