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Middletown sanitation commission tables recommendation on 'Save As You Throw' program after staff cost and tonnage briefing
Summary
After a staff presentation of spreadsheets and scenarios, the Middletown Sanitation Commission voted to table its recommendation to Public Works on whether to continue, modify or end the Save As You Throw program so members could gather more enforcement and cost information.
Lisa, a presenter to the Middletown Sanitation Commission, told members on the packet she prepared models several scenarios for the Save As You Throw program and said the spreadsheets allow immediate updates to assumptions such as tip fees, staffing hours and participation rates.
"If we got, you know, over 90% compliance and we really were able to reduce our tonnage by 20% or 30%, it would still only be the cart customers," Lisa said, summarizing a best-case scenario and noting the program's measured effect is limited to households using the carts. She also presented cost examples for cart sizes and bag-based systems, saying larger carts were previously priced around $4.50–$4.80 and that a 35-gallon option could be priced near $3.50.
The packet included a contractor quote for organics pickup; Lisa said Blue Earth estimated about $228 per year to collect food scraps every other week if the town chose a curbside organics service. Using recent tonnage data, Lisa told commissioners that an optimistic enforcement scenario could yield an annual surplus (she cited roughly $150,000 in a high-compliance projection). She also said a model that discontinues the program entirely would increase fee revenue "over $1,000,000," but she cautioned that those figures rest on assumptions and incomplete data for 2021.
Commission members focused questions on enforceability and operational details. One commissioner asked whether additional staff or a household card system would be needed; Lisa said staff time and enforcement costs are included in her spreadsheets but that the town currently has no reliable, low-cost method to link cards to specific households.
After discussion the commission moved and seconded a motion to table making a formal recommendation to Public Works so members could digest the packet and seek clarifications on enforcement, staffing and revenue assumptions. A commission member said the same materials will be presented to Public Works; members noted bills go out in October and discussed offering a 30-day grace period on payments.
The commission had previously approved the meeting minutes at the start of the session. The sanitation item was the only agenda item; the meeting was adjourned by voice vote.
