The board of directors of Bristol-South Bristol Transfer Station convened at the Bristol town office Tuesday, Jan. 13 to review the station’s 2026 budget ahead of the budget process in each town.
The board discussed different means of funding a potential repaving of the transfer station. Station Manager Clint Gilbert said the station is overdue for repaving but did not present a budget figure. After discussion, board members told Gilbert to finalize a cost estimate and ruled out borrowing the funds.
Accepting the suggestion of South Bristol Select Board member Adam Rice, the board agreed to present the paving expense as a standalone article on the warrants for the respective annual town meetings.
“I’d rather see it separate only because I hate to see capital expenditures in a working budget,” Rice said. “It makes me nervous because they have a habit of not dropping out.”
As presented, the 2026 budget totals $818,533.51, an $87,060 or 11.9% increase over the previous year budgeted in 2025. Following the two towns’ cost sharing agreement, Bristol’s 60% assessment will be $326,000, up $27,000 or 9%. South Bristol’s 40% share totals $217,000, an increase of $18,000 or 9%.
Listed among projected sources of income, bulk waste is expected to total $265,215.58, an increase of $48,370.12 or 22.3%.
Shipping and disposal cost for municipal solid waste is budgeted at $215,000, up $10,000 or 4.78%. Other bulk waste disposal is budgeted at $225,000, an increase of $5,000 or 2.5%.
Labor costs including wages, benefits, workman’s compensation, and paid family medical leave total $254,056.85, up $35,728.85 or 16.2%.
Maintenance costs for transfer station equipment, $28,800; fuel, $2,900; and capital reserve accounts, $51,300, are all level funded. Office costs total $25,900, rising $500 or 1.9%, and licensing fees total $9,350, up $800 or 9.3%.
South Bristol voters will consider the transfer station budget at their annual town meeting Tuesday, March 10. Bristol voters will consider the budget at their annual own meeting Tuesday, March 17.
