Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Solid Waste topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Durham delays start of mandatory purple trash bags by one month
Summary
After reports that retailers lacked stock and residents raised access concerns, the Durham Select Board voted to delay the new purple-bag trash program so residents have more time to obtain the required bags; staff will update the town website with retailer availability.
The Durham Select Board voted unanimously to delay the town'wide rollout of the new purple trash bags by roughly one month so the program aligns with the week of Aug. 30 and the town's regular Sept. 2 pickup schedule. The vice chair moved to defer the August 1 start and the motion carried after members discussed retailer availability and budget impacts.
The vice chair, who introduced the motion, said the delay was prompted by resident reports and local stockouts: "I would make a motion that we defer the implementation of the town trash bag usage from August 1 to September 1," the vice chair said. Town staff and the manager briefed the board on where the bags are currently sold; Jerry, the town manager, told the board that "currently available right now ... GetGo, Food City, and Market Basket and Topsail" are set up to sell the bags, while some Hannaford locations and other retailers remain pending.
Board members flagged the program's fiscal uncertainty and likely reduced revenue in the short term. One member warned, "we're gonna come up 9 to 11 k short in our budget," noting contingency limits. Staff said preliminary revenue estimates were roughly $10,000'$12,000 for the period under the program but emphasized they lacked detailed tonnage data and historical comparators.
The board also discussed outreach and information distribution. Officials said the town website will be the primary place to post an updated retailer list and urged residents to check the site and sign up for town notices; one board member added that the town does not have the budget for mass mailers to 2,000 homes and asked residents to use the website and neighbor networks for information.
The board's delay is intended to give more time for retailers to set up accounts and for residents to obtain the purple bags without being penalized. Staff committed to updating the retailer list and providing another status report at the next Thursday update.
