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Board weighs changing recycling hauler or buying hauling capacity amid rising costs
Summary
Selectboard members discussed frustration with current hauler Cassella and considered options including shopping for other haulers, requesting better pricing, or buying town hauling capacity (a truck or roll‑off container) to reduce long‑term costs.
The board discussed complaints about the town's recycling hauler and the rising costs of hauling and disposal. A speaker said, "Cassello is a huge huge business," describing limited willingness to negotiate and noting that changing haulers or owning a truck could alter costs. Members reported that Cassella offered a lower price after being contacted, and estimated switching to a different hauling arrangement could add roughly $9,000 per year in costs under certain scenarios.
Contributors weighed alternatives: continuing to complain to the hauler to get a better price, requesting quotes from other companies, or purchasing a roll‑off truck or equipment and hauling weekly instead of monthly. The board discussed frequency of roll‑off use (5–6 times a year) and the operational tradeoffs of weekly hauling versus monthly compacted loads. No procurement decision was made; the board instructed staff to collect quotes and bring numbers back for comparison.
Board members also discussed whether the town would save on tipping fees if hauling itself, the labor and equipment costs involved, and the practicality of using existing town vehicles for frequent trips to Bennington.
