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Board weighs expanding backdoor pickup to include recycling for disabled residents; staff to draft comprehensive policy
Summary
Staff told the board the town’s backdoor pickup program serves 77 participants with annual revenue of $8,100 and operating costs of $59,800; the board asked staff to prepare a comprehensive policy (including eligibility, recertification and cost) and directed consideration of an interim resolution to provide recycling pickup for disabled households.
Town staff briefed the Greenburgh Town Board on July 28 about its backdoor refuse pickup program and whether that service should be expanded to include recycling (commingled and paper) for disabled residents.
A staff presenter said the program, created in 2009, currently serves 77 participants and generates about $8,100 in annual revenue while operating costs are roughly $59,800, which staff said results in a subsidy of about $51,000 from the general fund. "There are 77 participants currently... The annual revenue that's generated is $8,100. The operating cost is $59,800, so it's being subsidized by the tax payers by $51,000," the presenter told the board while outlining options for eligibility and fees.
Board members debated whether to adopt an interim policy (for example, offering recycling pickup to households where all members are disabled upon submission of a doctor's note and payment of a fee) or to wait for a more comprehensive update. Several members argued an interim resolution to offer recycling pickup to qualified disabled households at the existing $300 fee (or adjusted fee) would provide immediate relief to a small number of residents who are struggling to move heavy paper and cardboard to the curb. Other members and DPW staff warned of operational and safety consequences: recycling currently requires separate collection trips for paper and commingled material and sanitation staff raised concerns about worker safety on private property, steep driveways, and route capacity.
The board directed staff (DPW) to draft a comprehensive backdoor pickup policy that would include eligibility criteria, annual recertification, administrative oversight, fee structure and assessment of insurance/liability costs, and asked for feasibility information on using wheeled containers for paper goods. Staff committed to have a draft policy prepared for the board’s first meeting in September, and members discussed placing an interim resolution on the next agenda if feasible.
