Trash!!!

The Selectmen meeting held this week and conducted by our TA was very informative and gave residents the time to speak their concerns. I understand that the trash fee in years will be reduced but in addition to the trash fee will we also be paying individually for the barrel and the recycle bin on a yearly basis and even if the trash fee is in years to come eliminated will we still be paying for the barrel.  I understand that in some communities there is no trash fee so why will we still be paying a trash fee if we go this avenue.

Will the town have the opportunity to renegotiate yearly with the vendor to change sections of the contract or if they sign on the dotted line a 10 year contract are we stuck with what is initially negotiated and stuck with a penalty to rescind the contract even if the vendor abides by the contractual agreement.  What if a more cost effective vendor or procedure is available in the future?

If this is a lucrative and cost effective way to go then is a warrant article necessary to designate where the excess funds are distributed (Schools, highway maintenance, town planner etc. etc.)?

The gradual implementation of this program in 6 months sounds a little quick based on the initial process that was initiated in informing the public of the change.  Why wasn’t the trash committee more active as based on the meeting it appeared they were shut out of acting in an advisory capacity or the Finance Board more involved in the bidding process?  I totally realize it is within the job description of the TA to handle trash negotiations as the head of DPW with the expertise of that department head. I appreciate all the work done by our Selectmen and the staff of Stoneham departments. 

My problem is the lack of factual communication in “user friendly” English that explains the out of pocket expense per household and where the savings will go and benefit our community as a whole.  The Selectmen and the TA may have explained it that night but by 11pm I was tired and probably did not get all that was said.  If so I apologize to them and thank them once again for their efforts.

Hopefully in the future our residents will be better informed as lack of knowledge creates more problems that could be eliminated with positive communication.