By Layla Burke Hastings
EAGLE TIMES STAFF
SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — A recent pricing change at the Springfield Transfer Station has divided town officials on the potential outcome.
Town Manager Jeff Mobus said the change, which went into effect on Wednesday, Dec. 22, was based on research comparing the change with other local transfer stations and state recommendations.
“In March, the selectboard directed me to perform a financial review of the Transfer Station once the fiscal year 2021 ended and report the results of that review at a board meeting in August,” Mobus said.
Mobus said revenues were in the red because the town still paid a weight-based fee for trash hauling.
“At the Aug. 9 board meeting, I reported that in fiscal year 2021, the expenses at the Transfer Station exceeded revenues by $84,657. I added that for fiscal year 2022, I projected expenses to exceed revenues by $47,500,” Mobus said. “I expected this improvement due a reduction in hauling charges and an increased enforcement of access sticker compliance and punch card consistency.”
The town has not done away with green tickets or punch cards, according to Mobus, and residents can still use the ones they have already purchased.
“There will be a period of transition when both types of punch cards will be used, with a conversion factor. The new punch cards are $7.50 and have 10 punches, each of which are good for five pounds of trash or fraction thereof. The old volume-based cards were $15 and have 12 punches,” Mobus said. “These cards can still be used with each punch being good for eight pounds of trash or fraction thereof. Alternatively, people can turn in unused $15 cards and obtain two of the new $7.50 cards.”
Mobus reflected back on the August meeting and the discussion of the fairest way to price town-run trash removal.
“At that meeting, there was a discussion on whether or not a weight-based system would be more fair and easier to monitor,” Mobus said. “As a result of the discussion, the selectboard directed me to create a plan to transition the transfer station back to a weight-based system.”
The major factor in the change in pricing came down to the fact that the town still pays a weight-based fee and not a volume based fee.
“This decision was more philosophical than financial,” Mobus said. “The belief was that since the town pays by weight to dispose of the trash, that it would be more appropriate to charge by weight when receiving trash.”
Mobus said the change will benefit both the consumer and Springfield in a couple of ways.
“I would say that both the town and the users of the Transfer Station would benefit from a consistent weight-based system as it is more consistent and, therefore, more fair,” Mobus said. “With the old volume-based system, users brought in many different sized bags which lead to confusion and inconsistency when punching the cards.”
Springfield Selectboard member Kristi Morris said he has concerns about the new changes.
“All the proposed changes outlined when we went from weight to volume have not yet been implemented,” Morris said. “The selectboard received complaints over the past year relative to a citizen’s petition and voted to change back to the weight system.”
Morris said he sees a back up in the car lines moving through the trash disposal station and equipment purchases to be potential complications.
“I have concerns that the weight-based system will return and cause longer lines for users during the busy times,” Morris said. “I also believe the cost-saving non-implemented measures that were projected with the volume system will not materialize and the weight system will add costs for manpower and equipment. The new scales cost approximately $10,000 to purchase.”
Springfield Selectboard Chair Walter Martone said the board is satisfied with the change and sees it as more consistent than the volume based price rate.
“I fully support the change and I believe that it will provide a more equitable way of charging users of the facility for disposing of their garbage,” Martone said. “The town pays by weight to haul away this trash and now individuals will also pay based on the same criteria.”
vtreporter @eagletimes.com
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