MONTAGUE — As the Selectboard continues to consider adjusting waste disposal fees, Franklin County Solid Waste Management District Executive Director Jan Ameen weighed in on Monday to caution the town against raising individual trash bag fees while proposing to look further into revising barrel sticker fees.
The proposal that the Selectboard discussed in October included increasing bag fees from $3 to $5, while raising barrel sticker costs, which are paid for annually, from $156 to $260 starting Jan. 1. The goal in making these changes is to update pricing that hasn’t been updated in close to two decades while addressing a gap in expenses versus revenues.
In looking at the board’s initial proposal, Ameen expressed concern over affordability for residents who could struggle to pay additional expenses. She felt an increase in the annual barrel fee would create less of a financial burden compared to an increase in the fee for individual bags, with consideration that, depending on the gallon size of the barrel, residents may be able to contain more than one trash bag at a time. The town, she added, could consider implementing additional stickers on larger barrel sizes.
“My caution about the sticker price is more economic for individuals and households who are probably struggling to buy gas and food right now,” Ameen said. She worries that higher costs might prompt people to hoard trash or engage in illegal dumping.
Ameen explained that when she contacted Casella Waste Systems, she learned that, from the observations of the company’s drivers, many people in Montague use 96-gallon barrels with one sticker that only covers the cost of one bag per week, even though multiple bags may be stored inside the container.
“It doesn’t take long for people to figure out that there’s no enforcement,” Ameen said. “I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, it’s just towns don’t have resources to walk up and down the street looking at this.”
Selectboard Chair Richard Kuklewicz said he likes the idea of leaving the single-use trash bag fee at $3, sharing a similar concern to Ameen regarding how an increase could financially impact residents who might potentially start holding onto their trash or finding ways to dump it illegally.
Town Administrator Walter Ramsey said he intends to discuss the matter further with Ameen and then return to the next Selectboard meeting with a “more finalized proposal.” On top of that, he said there will need to be coordination with Casella regarding this potential policy change for barrel stickers, along with some type of public information campaign to inform residents.
“I think this is a good direction that’s going to recoup a lot of the budget issues that I brought up before,” Ramsey said, referencing the anticipated $573,235 shortfall that was discovered as the town begins to craft its fiscal year 2028 budget.
Ramsey also noted that Ameen and the town have continued to work together on the two-year contract extension with Casella that was discussed in October. A revised contract has been presented by Casella, and the hope is to have it available in time for the next Selectboard meeting.
