Dresden Trash Bag Fee Goes Up April 15

Dresden selectmen approved changing the cost for trash bag tokens following a public hearing at the start of their board meeting Monday night. Selectmen also mentioned a special town meeting on April 14 regarding a fire station bond and municipal Internet access.

The new fee, which is an across the board $2 for the disposal of all trash bags up to 35 pounds, is to take effect starting Thurs., April 15.

After hearing concerns from two residents at the public hearing, selectmen still felt the need to change the fee in light of increasing costs for solid waste disposal. The new transfer station token charge is a change from $1 tokens for 15-pound bags of trash and $2 tokens for 35-pound bags.

The town’s solid waste coordinator Dave Probert, said there has recently been some confusion over the tokens at the transfer station, as well as a shortage of $2 tokens. They have tried other methods to save money, including compacting the trash bags to fit more into the bins. Probert said the transfer station has been able to save $200 through compacting.

Even as they try to save money at the transfer station, the town is spending more than token sales brings in, according to Selectman John Ottum. The transfer station account is down by $4000 since the cost for solid waste disposal has increased in the past few years.

Selectmen and Probert felt the way to recoup this money would be to charge the same amount, $2 across the board, for all bags of trash up to 35 pounds.

“It’s going to take me a month to fill up a 35 pound bag,” said Dresden resident Reg Heron, adding he felt the cost burden would fall on the shoulders of those residents who take the steps to recycle and create less waste.

Ottum said he was concerned whether the town would make up the $4000 gap in the transfer station account using this method. Selectmen understood it would depend on the people who use the transfer station and whether residents would continue buying the tokens at the new price or try another trash disposal method.

Special town meeting, other businessA special town meeting at the Pownalborough Hall on Wed., April 14 at 7 p.m. will focus on raising $11,000 for payments owed on construction of the town’s new fire station and to approve selectmen’s application for a grant to provide broadband Internet access for residents.

The town office will be closed on Mon., April 19 for Patriots’ Day and the Dresden Board of Selectmen meeting has been cancelled for that evening.