News

Garbage in, garbage out
Selectmen discuss transfer station overflow remedies
By Elizabeth Prata

New Gloucester--For the last several weeks the Selectmen and Manager have been dealing with trash issues, and the bonanza continued Monday night at their regular meeting. The transfer station employees' primary concern has been trash overflow on Saturdays.

Two agenda items were voted on last meeting in an attempt to remedy this problem. The first was changing the transfer station hours to closer reflect working citizens' time frames. Selectmen voted for a change in hours. New hours at the Transfer Station are Tuesdays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.The second was to discuss closing the station when the hopper is at its maximum capacity. That measure died, and Kulow said she would study other remedies for when the hopper is full.

Monday night Kulow came back to the Selectmen with information on two quotes she had obtained to purchase a roll-off container to help with the overflow problem. One was for $6,400, within the price range that Selectmen had hoped for. The other quote was higher.

Selectmen Chair Steve Libby reported that the Town Attorney and the Town Auditor advised that it was not appropriate to remove funds from the Special Revenue Account without a Town meeting but that it was OK to remove the money for the roll-off container from the Capital Reserves without a Town meeting.

Libby shied away from doing that, saying that it has been the town's intent and practice to ask for money to go into and come out of reserves through town meeting mechanism, not Selectmen discretion. He said he would rather wait for town meeting. A Special Town meeting is tentatively planned for early December to review a Transfer of Development Rights issue, and the warrant could be expanded to include approval by voters for the capital purchase of a roll-off container, Libby said. All other Selectmen agreed.

Libby also directed the Manager to review costs for renting a roll-off container to see if that was more cost effective than purchasing one. Selectmen tabled the issue pending information on rentals.

In other business, Selectmen tabled a discussion and review of the Capital Improvement Program pending any outcome from Tuesday's voting on the state-wide tax cap referendum initiative. Vice-Chair Bryan said that it was pointless to have a discussion on municipal spending programs and then have to come back and have another discussion if the tax cap passed. "There is too much uncertainty," she said. All other Selectmen agreed, they voted 5-0 to table.

During Oral Comments for Selectmen, Lynn Conger requested of Libby to either place on an agenda or to schedule a workshop to review paving issues. We may want to look at outsourcing paving to get the work completed," Conger said.

Libby said that the Selectmen should have a capital reserve account for paving and put the same amount in each year. The amount to come out would vary depending on projects slated for completion each year. Libby noted that many roads in New Gloucester are paved every 6 to 7 years rather than every 10. "It [paving] is the largest item in the budget and consumes a vast amount of money, and it will balloon in the future."
No decision was reached to schedule the issue for workshop or meeting discussion.

The Selectmen did schedule a Joint meeting with Manager, Department Heads, and Committee Chairs to determine 6-month progress on long range goals. It will be held November 9 at 6 p.m. at the Fire Station. Selectmen may chip in to buy pizza.