The five towns that use the Nobleboro-Jefferson Transfer Station will pay 4.86 percent more toward the station budget in 2015.
The Jefferson and Nobleboro Boards of Selectmen approved a 2015 budget for the Nobleboro-Jefferson Transfer Station of $515,912, an increase of $3,612 or 0.71 percent, during a meeting Dec. 30, 2014.
The Jefferson and Nobleboro selectmen also serve as the Nobleboro-Jefferson Transfer Station Council.
The towns will pay 4.86 percent more due to a decrease in the surplus the council will use to offset the amount necessary to raise from the towns.
The transfer station on Center Street in Nobleboro serves the towns of Bremen, Damariscotta, Jefferson, Newcastle, and Nobleboro.
The towns pay a percentage of the budget in accordance with a formula that factors in population as well as ownership. Jefferson and Nobleboro receive a more favorable rate as the joint owners of the station.
Last year, the council was able to apply $81,500 in surplus. This year, the council will apply $65,000, a decrease of $16,500 or 20.25 percent.
Damariscotta will pay 28.9 percent of the budget for a 2015 bill of $130,314, an increase of $6,044.
Newcastle will pay 23.6 percent of the budget for a 2015 bill of $106,415, an increase of $4,935.
Jefferson will pay 22.4 percent of the budget for a 2015 bill of $101,004, an increase of $4,684.
Nobleboro will pay 14.6 percent of the budget for a 2015 bill of $65,833, an increase of $3,053.
Bremen will pay 10.5 percent of the budget for a 2015 bill of $47,346, an increase of $2,196.
The Jefferson and Nobleboro selectmen split on the budget vote, with the Jefferson selectmen in favor of a change in the formula that would force the non-owner towns to absorb more of the increase in the amount necessary to raise from the towns.
The Nobleboro selectmen argued in favor of maintaining the same formula, as did Damariscotta Town Manager Matt Lutkus, the only representative of a non-owner town to attend the meeting.
Nobleboro Selectman and Station Agent Dick Spear and Lutkus pointed out the existing difference in per-capita costs for station operations.
For example, Damariscotta will pay $58.75 per capita toward station operations in 2015, in comparison to $41.62 for Jefferson and $40.07 for Nobleboro.
Thus, Damariscotta pays 41.16 percent more per capita than Jefferson and 44.88 percent more per capita than Nobleboro.
“There is a big discrepancy,” Spear said. “I, personally, don’t think we should go higher.”
“We haven’t had an increase in our rates in quite a few years,” Spear said. “Last year we paid the same as we were paying seven years ago, except for the population difference.”
Ultimately, Nobleboro Selectmen Harold “Bud” Lewis, Walter “Al” Lewis, and Spear voted to approve the budget with Jefferson Selectmen Greg Johnston and Robert “Jigger” Clark opposed.
The Jefferson Board of Selectmen only has two current members, as one seat remains vacant after the June 2014 resignation of longtime Selectman Jim Hilton.
After the budget vote, the council elected Clark as chairman, Bud Lewis as vice chairman, and Al Lewis as secretary of the council for 2015.
