[0:00] foreign
[0:04] curbside trash committee meeting on
[0:06] Thursday April 6th 6 p.m in the veterans
[0:09] room uh roll call Council marketing is
[0:12] here
[0:12] the concert Steve is on his way uh
[0:15] Health direct inspector Daniel suik is
[0:18] on his way as well we had another
[0:19] meeting we were at for the health member
[0:21] Daniel globalski yeah assistant member
[0:24] Kevin Buxton President Steve Gregoire
[0:26] president Mark LaToy here Kathy boner
[0:29] here
[0:30] a personal owner of Liz are minutes of
[0:34] the March 16th 2023 everybody have a
[0:36] chance to look at them
[0:39] anything okay with them
[0:41] [Music]
[0:46] I'm doing them
[0:49] you want to take a minute to look at him
[0:51] that's fine
[0:54] uh I pretty much follow I I'm recording
[0:57] it so everybody knows I am recording the
[0:59] meeting so I'm kind of following it
[1:00] along
[1:03] [Music]
[1:08] so I think you could tell by the end I
[1:10] was just saying further discussion I was
[1:13] getting tired
[1:15] [Music]
[1:17] foreign
[1:23] [Applause]
[1:35] curbside trash collection Southbridge
[1:37] before we start doing any votes I just
[1:40] want to do a quick recap of what we've
[1:42] talked about so far and then I'd like
[1:44] everybody if you'd like to speak that's
[1:46] fine uh back in November we started this
[1:49] committee our charge was basically just
[1:53] to look explore pay as you throw that
[1:56] was all right that was our only charge
[1:58] however what the discussions that became
[2:01] apparent that pay as you throw program
[2:03] would not be enough to cover the cost so
[2:05] we started looking at other costs so
[2:08] property tax flat fee Enterprise fund or
[2:12] a user fee pay as you throw in December
[2:15] our first order of business was the
[2:17] discussion of the survey to send out
[2:19] with the census the survey was created
[2:22] we also the IT department created the
[2:25] website excuse me and we also talked
[2:28] about building issues with the
[2:30] assessor's office by January we were
[2:32] discussing the RFP draft with the
[2:35] creation of an Enterprise fund with
[2:37] McCall and harness Ms harnoy's made some
[2:40] comments about
[2:41] associating an Enterprise fund for
[2:43] curbside would be self-sustaining
[2:45] funding would cover all expenses she
[2:49] also thought it would be easier to do a
[2:51] tax general fund because of her concerns
[2:54] about enforcement what happens if people
[2:56] don't pay
[2:58] then in later in January Miss gong and
[3:01] then discuss pay as you throw options
[3:03] explained how it worked cost of the bags
[3:06] and savings
[3:07] we started the discussion of a flat fee
[3:10] Mr Gregor presented a draft of his plan
[3:12] by the end of January there was an
[3:15] update of RFP Miss congen raised the
[3:17] billing issue again billing department
[3:19] private billing staffing issues we are
[3:22] talking about a potential cost to
[3:24] residents for bags we spoke about
[3:27] possibly using some royalty funds which
[3:29] right now is at 3.9 million there was a
[3:32] discussion with Mr Mr Gregor's funding
[3:36] options in February we did survey
[3:38] results started to come in we spoke
[3:41] about the user fees or number one
[3:44] which is a pay as you throw bag taxes
[3:46] with number two flat view is number
[3:48] three most of the respondents for
[3:51] homeowners and renters most of the Town
[3:54] information was gathered from mailers
[3:55] social media and the town websites many
[3:58] residents attended our meetings and said
[4:00] they would did not have enough
[4:01] information information about the cost
[4:04] to make a a decision and there were
[4:07] questions about the toters we are
[4:09] keeping the toners uh in March waste
[4:12] zero representative came here and gave
[4:14] us a presentation on the bag program
[4:17] there was further discussion on the RFP
[4:19] uh we have three interested haulers at
[4:22] the time Casella waste management and
[4:24] Republic
[4:25] we also talked about the survey results
[4:28] again
[4:29] user fee was again number one flat fee
[4:32] became number two and taxes was number
[4:35] three
[4:36] I went out in March and talked to the
[4:38] seniors I talked to Latino groups I
[4:40] talked to the downtown partnership Miss
[4:42] Condon was there Mr gravoski was there
[4:45] at the meetings I reached out to the
[4:47] landlords and I've reached out to the
[4:49] churches about this program March 16th
[4:53] we approved applying for a community
[4:54] compact prep for a cost benefit analysis
[4:58] if we end up doing a a flat fee
[5:00] Enterprise fund we are going to have to
[5:02] have a benefit analysis done on a what
[5:06] it would take to start an Enterprise
[5:07] fund we had a presentation on billing
[5:11] from Francine Ireland we looked at the
[5:15] user survey results again user fee was
[5:17] still number one it's been number one
[5:19] all along taxes and flat fee was pretty
[5:22] close to each other
[5:24] again we discussion of the RFP we did a
[5:27] straw poll since our last meeting we
[5:29] have received additional rfps and
[5:32] additional updates on the survey
[5:34] my plan is to address the council Monday
[5:38] April 10th at 7 pm if any of the
[5:41] committee members want to attend that
[5:42] meeting you are welcome to attend I'd
[5:45] welcome you to be there and I will let
[5:47] you I think you should all if you want
[5:48] to speak to the council I think that is
[5:52] would be a good idea Miss congen if you
[5:55] would like to be there it might be
[5:56] beneficial if you were there as well I
[5:58] believe that this committee is on
[5:59] schedule according to my notes from our
[6:02] very first meeting you had scheduled
[6:04] April to look at the RFP in details
[6:11] so here we are tonight we're going to
[6:15] start we're going to speak about what
[6:17] this committee wants to do as far as far
[6:19] as the different programs
[6:21] so I've taken a look at all all the
[6:23] programs and I'll let everybody speak as
[6:25] well we looked at the user fee where the
[6:28] town would purchase Tom bags such as
[6:30] colored bags with a down seal uh we we
[6:34] talked about the cost and ranges from a
[6:36] buck and a half to two and a half bucks
[6:37] for a 33 gallon bag a dollar to 1.25 for
[6:42] a smaller bag
[6:44] the bags are usually sold in 10 bag
[6:45] rolls
[6:47] we would be keeping the toters so the
[6:49] bags that the residents would purchase
[6:52] would go inside the toters the pay as
[6:55] you throw
[6:56] saves a ton of money by reducing trash
[6:58] it reduces disposal costs
[7:01] they say that there's most communities
[7:04] that start this they see a 30 percent
[7:06] drop in their trash
[7:08] most of the residents who responded to
[7:10] this survey
[7:12] overwhelmingly chose pay as you throw as
[7:15] an option but as we know pay as you
[7:17] throw would not be enough to cover the
[7:20] entire cost of our utility bill I mean
[7:23] now you tell you though I'm in the trash
[7:24] program so then we looked at a flat fee
[7:28] such as a utility bill would be paid
[7:30] quarterly like water and sewer sewer the
[7:34] pros of a flat fee is that it's fairer
[7:37] than a property tax it's not based on
[7:39] their property values if you have three
[7:41] Apartments there would be three bills
[7:43] correct yeah
[7:45] and then also as a dedicated funding
[7:48] source the con in my opinion told flat
[7:50] feet per state law homeowners can opt
[7:53] out
[7:54] the more residents opt out potentially
[7:56] the greater cost of those who don't opt
[7:58] out it's also difficult for the hauler
[8:01] to set a price when he's not sure of the
[8:03] number of people that are in the program
[8:06] uh however a homeowner if he does opt
[8:09] out would have to provide proof that
[8:10] their crash is being picked up by a
[8:13] licensed private hauler and I did have
[8:15] some questions about that
[8:17] if they have a dumpster is that enough
[8:20] proof or if they use a transfer station
[8:22] is that proof enough that they they need
[8:24] to give you a receipt of who where
[8:26] they're going all right
[8:27] and it really cannot be you can't have
[8:30] any legal transfer station to say then
[8:31] bring it to work that that's not it and
[8:34] then the final option is a property tax
[8:36] homeowners cannot opt out curbside
[8:38] programs paid for profit attacks since
[8:40] every homeowner pays including the
[8:43] businesses the prowess of it is that the
[8:46] trash will get picked up the con it's
[8:48] based on the value of your home whether
[8:50] you have one family or three family you
[8:53] all pay the same the the issue with flat
[8:57] fee and property taxes is that there's
[8:59] no incentive to the risk to reduce the
[9:01] trash so it's good to have a bag program
[9:03] to help reduce the trash so now I'll go
[9:06] around the room and if anybody wants to
[9:08] speak go right ahead we'll start with
[9:10] you Mr burlesque just for the reasons
[9:12] you said about the opting out people can
[9:15] opt out that that really scares me
[9:16] because you know people are going to do
[9:17] that
[9:20] I don't care what my neighbor's house is
[9:23] worth I just want I just want a peace of
[9:25] mind also my trash is going to get
[9:27] picked up
[9:28] the one reason why that's really like
[9:31] I've never had a problem where it hasn't
[9:33] been picked up if you have a flat feet
[9:35] it's going to work out it's mostly the
[9:38] time when we have issues with
[9:39] communities that haven't had a program
[9:40] like Oxford does not have a town program
[9:43] not knowing how many households is an
[9:47] issue when they were looking at going to
[9:49] a curbside program you have carts on the
[9:52] ground we know how many households are
[9:54] in town that is so a hauler is not
[9:57] coming in here blindsided going oh is
[10:00] this going to be
[10:01] this many households or that many houses
[10:03] because you have private subscription
[10:06] um that is not the case for Southbridge
[10:08] the cost between your contract cost and
[10:11] a private subscription is dramatic so
[10:14] residents that choose not to participate
[10:16] it's only going to be a very few
[10:20] and it's very unlikely and really would
[10:23] not impact
[10:25] the cost that greatly if you're just
[10:27] having a few
[10:28] households are
[10:31] so if it goes to the flat feed so
[10:33] basically the Town Council hammers this
[10:35] out and that's it and then it goes to
[10:37] the people
[10:38] right so that in other words the people
[10:40] don't have any say about that other than
[10:41] what the Town Council gives them am I
[10:43] correct if it goes to attacks
[10:46] right other than that it doesn't go on a
[10:48] ballot it does not so you're telling
[10:49] people in this town this is the trash
[10:51] this is the way it is if it's a flat
[10:53] feet there's
[10:56] what happens if taxes get shot down at
[10:59] Council and then we start over no no you
[11:02] can't start over you go to private trash
[11:04] tell the truth
[11:05] private trash
[11:07] and there's a mess so you can't do that
[11:09] so we can't start over there's not
[11:12] enough time yeah the most important but
[11:15] either way whatever we decide I'll go
[11:16] with because I'm not gonna know whatever
[11:18] you can drive to people vote for that's
[11:20] what I'll go for it because I have no
[11:22] choice
[11:22] but the real biggest thing is about the
[11:25] enforcement of all this is right now we
[11:27] don't have the recycling because because
[11:30] um we have these bins that are overfill
[11:32] because nobody nobody you know you can
[11:34] see the bottles coming out of the trash
[11:36] who's gonna who's gonna take care of
[11:37] that so we have to go with the pays you
[11:40] throw a bag program in a cart then the
[11:43] when it gets flipped over you will see
[11:46] what your color that you pick and then
[11:48] they write down it what it is so I just
[11:50] did a video on that for um what is being
[11:54] done in Fall River and in Upton and so
[11:57] those two communities have that and they
[11:59] can easily and then she writes a letter
[12:00] and yeah but who's automatically who's
[12:03] gonna do that right there needs to be
[12:05] another person what we kind of talked
[12:07] about there we need to have at least two
[12:09] people so you're gonna have to hire
[12:10] somebody we already discussed that that
[12:11] was perfect I just want to make
[12:13] everything clear just so like what's
[12:15] going on yeah yeah so that's pretty much
[12:17] it okay
[12:20] um
[12:21] so I think my point has been
[12:23] quasi-consistent along the way here
[12:26] um
[12:27] I was looking at a few options as far as
[12:29] taxes and
[12:31] uh what Flappy would look like and just
[12:34] you know a real quick number if the
[12:36] town's budget incorrectly if I'm wrong
[12:37] is in and around 50 million dollars
[12:39] right is that about right the annual
[12:41] operating budget for the town
[12:51] tax increase approximately to raise two
[12:54] million dollars
[12:55] so on a 400 000 house which a lot of the
[12:58] nice houses in this town are worth with
[13:00] this Market 400 000 you're going to pay
[13:02] an extra sixteen hundred no three
[13:04] percent less than that
[13:06] thirteen hundred bucks a year in tax for
[13:09] your average single family home
[13:10] for your one bag of trash and your
[13:13] average multi-family which has a lower
[13:14] value because they just don't look as
[13:15] nice they're gonna pay
[13:18] eight hundred dollars a year eight
[13:19] hundred dollars for tax for trash
[13:21] completely unfair in my opinion the more
[13:24] Equitable option will be a flat fee I've
[13:27] got some different ideas what a flat
[13:28] view would look like but in the end it
[13:29] won't be my choice and I'm really torn
[13:32] down the line even walking into tonight
[13:33] if we should go straight flat feet
[13:35] or flat fee with a partial offset in
[13:37] bags
[13:39] I like the idea of adding bags to it
[13:41] because it gives people that don't use
[13:43] as much trash a chance to save on the
[13:45] program
[13:46] however
[13:48] the Democratic demographic in this town
[13:50] bothered me I think you're gonna have
[13:52] people trying to find ways to cheat the
[13:54] system or plain old dumping it on the
[13:55] sidewalk it worries me I know I'm not
[13:58] going to be that way and most of us here
[13:59] in the room aren't going to be that way
[14:00] but we all know who we're talking about
[14:02] here
[14:04] um and I don't want to see that happen
[14:06] so I'm torn whether I want to go or vote
[14:09] for a flat fee or a flat fee with bags
[14:11] um but you know Dan I know we don't
[14:13] agree on this but I do want I think it's
[14:15] great that we we're pretty civil up here
[14:16] right thank you absolutely that's that's
[14:19] all I have okay
[14:20] Kathy
[14:22] I'm still torn I mean
[14:24] you know we raise the taxes
[14:27] working with the elderly like I do
[14:29] nobody can afford it I'm sorry
[14:33] I mean a collection
[14:35] I'm thinking more along the lines at
[14:38] this point than Steve is with maybe the
[14:40] flat feet if we can keep that low and go
[14:43] with the bags as well
[14:46] [Music]
[14:47] I mean I can't afford an increase in
[14:50] taxes like that can you not talk while
[14:52] somebody else is speaking please I mean
[14:53] I couldn't afford an increase in taxes
[14:55] like that either I mean what the heck
[14:57] I'm still a part I'm I'm part of the tax
[14:59] rebate program and I'm you know trying
[15:01] to get my hours in just so I can get
[15:03] something taken off
[15:05] um to help decrease that cost but if we
[15:07] have to go I'm I'm with both at that
[15:10] point
[15:11] and I know that most of the seniors
[15:14] we've talked to have said no they'd just
[15:16] rather do it with the taxes because they
[15:18] just can't get out there to do it any
[15:20] otherwise and they and they can't afford
[15:23] it it's a hard it's a hard cross and I
[15:27] mean if we only knew how many seniors we
[15:29] did have in this town as far as you know
[15:31] who couldn't couldn't afford it those I
[15:33] talked to Camp well we got four up here
[15:35] well yeah that's true
[15:38] and their houses are nice
[15:40] are you all set Kathy in our assessment
[15:43] shows are you also important yes I am
[15:45] Council Steve's we're talking about the
[15:47] different plans what you want to go with
[15:49] yeah we haven't voted yet we're just
[15:51] speaking about it well I'm inclined to
[15:53] think of
[15:54] um
[15:55] I tend to like the idea of doing the
[15:58] bags but I can understand what a lot of
[16:01] people are saying and unfortunately I
[16:03] walk in the middle of the conversation
[16:04] upstairs
[16:06] um but from the previous conversations
[16:07] we've had I can also understand
[16:10] obviously we need to talk about this
[16:12] some sort of a funding that will cover
[16:16] pretty much everybody because the uh the
[16:19] cost and and I totally I totally
[16:21] understand what you're saying Kathy
[16:23] um about there's so many people out
[16:25] there who do not really
[16:27] I don't think they really know how much
[16:29] they can afford and a lot of people
[16:31] already can't afford it I know I can't
[16:34] um
[16:36] it's
[16:39] we're not voting yet we're just talking
[16:40] about right now I know I get it and uh
[16:43] some of the numbers we've already been
[16:44] throwing around just even with the the
[16:46] tax rates that we've seen to date
[16:50] um plus some of the other stuff that we
[16:52] know is coming down the pike or right
[16:55] kill a whole bunch
[16:57] um
[16:58] but we need to do all of this stuff so
[17:00] what how do we how do we balance these
[17:02] needs
[17:03] that's really the kind of Crisis we're
[17:04] in right now
[17:07] okay
[17:09] what's up for the moment all right
[17:14] um well I'm I'm uh
[17:17] I'm in favor of the service charge or
[17:20] flat fee uh I'm inflated I'm in favor of
[17:23] um at least some kind of escalation for
[17:27] multi-families even if it's a small
[17:29] amount in other words if and when we get
[17:32] the numbers and we can actually figure
[17:34] out what it's costing a single family
[17:35] home let's say if it's costing a single
[17:38] family home uh fifty dollars a quarter
[17:42] ah two families they should be paying 55
[17:46] just a 10 increase the person right
[17:50] three families per unit three families
[17:53] same situation just 55. at least you're
[17:56] making that extra additional money for
[17:58] these multi-families
[18:01] um but then again we need to look at the
[18:04] percentage how many single family what
[18:06] percentage of single families and
[18:07] multi-families do we have how many units
[18:10] do we have in multi-families and how
[18:13] will that change the numbers
[18:16] um as far as the service fee I think the
[18:20] service fee should cover
[18:21] 95 of the cost of the RFP
[18:26] the bags which I will agree I I cannot
[18:29] deny that bags would correct
[18:33] the the trash problem we've had in this
[18:36] town ever since we've started curbside
[18:38] pickup
[18:40] so I have to in some way say yes it has
[18:44] to be a very low cost bag I agree uh
[18:47] that's one of the reasons why we we
[18:48] gather all our Revenue we need in the
[18:52] service fee right and the bags are just
[18:55] maybe can be considered an inflation
[18:57] control for as the Enterprise fund
[19:01] builds up we have additional cash to
[19:03] cover either inflation or additional
[19:06] operations like transfer stations
[19:09] whatever but um as fast taxes go the
[19:13] only reason I see a tax item
[19:16] in the trash pickup is if you want to
[19:19] guesstimate just guess the myth what it
[19:22] costs the municipal properties to be
[19:25] picked up
[19:26] yes you could put a line item for
[19:29] um
[19:31] Municipal trash pickup and add that to
[19:34] the Enterprise fund but it shouldn't be
[19:37] an amount that needs to go to the voters
[19:39] it should just be a line item
[19:42] and that's pretty much what I expect
[19:44] okay all right Mark I think that
[19:48] um I don't know forever being on for
[19:50] being on my first committee I there's a
[19:53] lot of stuff that went through my head
[19:54] first is that
[19:58] I've seen Irene and I've seen the person
[20:02] from way zero come here and their
[20:04] salesman for the vet program they're
[20:06] funded buy bags
[20:08] your pushing the back program I've seen
[20:10] the back program be pushed I've also
[20:12] heard about a camera on the top of
[20:14] garbage truck for the first time ever
[20:15] that can spot a tick on a squirrel's
[20:18] behind from 100 yards how have we not
[20:21] enforced anything now yeah it's funny
[20:23] but it's not how have we not enforced
[20:25] one thing right now and you're telling
[20:28] me by Chain by changing the color of our
[20:30] bag all of a sudden this do-it-all
[20:32] camera is going to solve all of
[20:34] suffrage's trash problems there's no way
[20:38] that bag is going in there and it's
[20:40] going off and now we have bags which
[20:44] they can change the rate on the bags and
[20:46] you have something else whether it's a
[20:48] flat fee or taxes now you have two
[20:50] different animals that the town can
[20:53] raise that you you gave the town two
[20:56] ways to raise money they can raise the
[21:00] bags if there's a shortfall or they can
[21:02] change the fee whether it's taxes or a
[21:04] flat fee it can be raised you gave the
[21:07] town two ways to do it I think that
[21:10] there's a gentleman here that stated
[21:13] somebody has lived somewhere else and
[21:15] they have property here that person
[21:16] doesn't want to see the property tax go
[21:18] up if it's a flat fee they can opt out
[21:20] that would be one of the times a flat
[21:22] fee somebody would be able to opt out I
[21:24] think they should have the option I also
[21:26] think that if you have
[21:29] 10 people that are
[21:31] applying for a service and you have one
[21:34] person trying to do a private service
[21:36] that there's no way that that one person
[21:38] is going to pay less than the 10 people
[21:41] it's impossible it doesn't it it's you'd
[21:43] be throwing money out just to spite the
[21:47] system
[21:48] there's that's I mean that's pretty much
[21:51] my thing my in the as far as the
[21:54] multi-families
[21:56] I don't feel bad if everybody pays their
[21:58] fair share no it's about time I don't
[22:00] feel bad I lost my dashboard coming down
[22:03] Denison drive so I'd like to find a way
[22:07] for pavement to go there and adding
[22:09] making the taxes so ridiculous that we
[22:12] can't do it you know anybody here that
[22:15] wants to have the taxes raised doesn't
[22:18] have a problem with our roads or
[22:20] infrastructure
[22:34] to my opinion in all fairness I I would
[22:37] I thought about this and
[22:41] I look at the flat fee as being
[22:44] advantageous uh and being fair Equitable
[22:49] um
[22:49] and and the best solution now more
[22:53] importantly I look at
[22:55] the options in respect to what would
[22:57] mitigate the amount of trouble the
[23:00] amount of trash accumulation the amount
[23:03] of non-compliance
[23:05] and respect to any of those changes I I
[23:09] personally feel that this is going to be
[23:12] a challenging coming to my department
[23:14] and
[23:16] um
[23:17] I I think I think it's going to be a
[23:20] challenge in many different different
[23:24] levels and with many different variables
[23:27] but ultimately it to conclude it's it's
[23:30] going to be a challenge that presents
[23:32] itself we'll face this Challenge and be
[23:34] able to do it but
[23:36] um uh the significance of it is is there
[23:39] and it's it's it's got to be there we
[23:43] recognize that challenge is going to
[23:45] have to be met
[23:47] whether it's going to be completely
[23:49] unprecedented uh that's the question of
[23:52] what level as you said but taking it in
[23:54] variables and the factors I feel that a
[23:57] flat fee Associated will make it more
[23:58] fair and will ultimately uh not not
[24:03] increase the amount of non-compliance
[24:06] which leads to trouble that's my honest
[24:09] opinion
[24:10] okay thank you
[24:12] all right but before I go around the
[24:14] room Mr Tom manager is Tim still here
[24:16] did you want to speak to this oh yes
[24:18] yeah you asked us to come in here
[24:19] provide information on what we've
[24:21] received on the request proposal so we
[24:23] can mentioned so I'll pass these out
[24:27] thank you sir
[24:29] thank you
[24:45] okay so as you mentioned uh
[24:49] councilman Kennedy that on February 17th
[24:51] we did uh advertise for request for
[24:53] proposals
[24:55] um we received two proposals today from
[24:59] Friends capable of providing the
[25:01] services requested one proposal was from
[25:04] Casella Waste Management obviously was
[25:06] currently providing the services and the
[25:09] second one is from Waste Management
[25:11] um
[25:12] we've had a series of questions we've
[25:15] had a few rounds of interviews regarding
[25:17] questions and clarification on the
[25:19] proposals since this is not a project
[25:22] subject to 30p the town has the ability
[25:24] to negotiate a final contract
[25:26] the Review Committee expects that'll
[25:28] return over the next month or so but we
[25:30] do want to give you the information that
[25:31] we had from what has been perceived the
[25:34] costs received in these proposals range
[25:36] from 2.1 million to 2.24 million these
[25:41] costs are for the base cost for the
[25:42] first year beginning March 25th 2024 of
[25:46] curbside collection for municipal and
[25:47] solid waste recyclables and yard waste
[25:50] from the residents of the town and the
[25:52] town facilities that were based enlisted
[25:54] in the RFP
[25:56] at this time and for the purpose of
[25:58] budgeting as you you know discuss the
[26:01] best way to fund this we recommend that
[26:04] the town budget 2.35 million dollars
[26:07] which is the high end of the range it
[26:09] includes a 5 contingency
[26:11] and so I don't know if you have anything
[26:14] to add this was a subcommittee or a
[26:16] committee Review Committee but myself
[26:19] Anna and uh Mike cipione from Western
[26:22] and Samson
[26:23] yeah I mean I don't think I can add
[26:25] anything with any questions I guess we
[26:27] could answer questions
[26:30] oh yeah I had a chance to think at all
[26:33] about what this would cost the uh each
[26:36] resident each homeowner you haven't even
[26:38] really couldn't break it up that way yet
[26:41] we haven't really done that in other
[26:44] words uh it would be easy enough to do
[26:46] okay
[26:47] what I just need the collection number
[26:50] what is it which is 2.359 that's the
[26:53] whole thing that's including disposal I
[26:56] think that's the question and I promise
[26:57] my computer is so that's the full budget
[27:00] we were estimating about 2 million and
[27:02] then this is saying 2.5
[27:05] 2.35 but even even the front thing is
[27:08] going to be responsible for the disposal
[27:10] cost yeah so it needs to be broken down
[27:13] it's just
[27:15] for some reason my computer is
[27:22] n't it I don't know why I'm I'm stuck
[27:25] I'm just wondering
[27:27] get rid of my squares
[27:37] while we're waiting on that I'm gonna go
[27:39] around the room any residents have any
[27:42] questions I'm gonna go with Kevin first
[27:44] is
[27:57] after it goes upstairs and they make a
[27:59] decision
[28:01] [Music]
[28:06] um
[28:24] we have to leave
[28:27] but exactly thank you but nothing's
[28:29] getting done
[28:31] well part of the program
[28:34] we are just going to recommend what type
[28:37] of programs
[28:42] we're just going we're just going to
[28:45] recommend what
[28:47] uh mechanism
[28:49] for paying for the program it's up to
[28:52] the town leaders to put together a
[28:55] program
[28:56] for enforcement and uh that's probably
[29:00] going to be part of
[29:01] whatever program we choose if we go with
[29:03] a flat feed and be covered by the
[29:05] Enterprise of course when it comes with
[29:07] every bag so
[29:08] part of part of the bag program some of
[29:12] the enforcement about all of it but some
[29:14] of it will be done by the people who
[29:16] provide us with the bags they would be
[29:18] sending out letters to telling people
[29:20] that you have not complied the truck is
[29:23] supposed to have a camera on it which
[29:25] they tell us can see if there's a bag
[29:27] some communities have done away with
[29:30] toters so the bags are right out there
[29:32] and they can see the color of them I
[29:34] don't have a problem with that myself
[29:35] but we don't know yet what's going to
[29:38] happen with our toters I know that we've
[29:40] been told we're going to keep the toners
[29:42] but we don't know if we're going to keep
[29:43] the toners right now right the way our
[29:46] bylar is set right now I believe we're
[29:49] supposed to have to play a trash bags
[29:50] actually it doesn't say that I looked it
[29:53] up a couple days ago it actually doesn't
[29:54] and whether it's the one on the website
[29:56] but to get back to your point
[29:59] Hannah has been proposing to hiring two
[30:02] people for in her Department which would
[30:05] be covered by I had this information
[30:09] well we have to hire somebody to enforce
[30:12] them
[30:13] if you want it enforced there has to be
[30:14] it's going to be enforced by the hauler
[30:16] and somebody works we need to change the
[30:19] number
[30:21] thank you all right George I think he's
[30:25] gonna send out your question here
[30:27] the question here even though it's not
[30:30] mandated but it gave you a mandate on
[30:32] which way to go right and and that's not
[30:35] in taxes
[30:37] uh I don't think the tax is the way to
[30:39] go uh
[30:41] because it's it's not actually a fair
[30:43] cost of the trash pickup for the whole
[30:46] Community as a whole uh and it's not
[30:49] fair to local industry to pay for a
[30:52] substantial cost of having their trash
[30:54] removed and then also paying in their
[30:57] tax in their tax base
[30:59] a user fee Enterprise fund I think is a
[31:04] way to go a pay as you go uh I know
[31:06] there was concern with Paige you know is
[31:09] that we may not meet the uh necessary
[31:13] quote that is going to be built but as I
[31:18] heard through the program and the few
[31:20] times I did come that the pages row will
[31:23] pay for itself and that is substantial
[31:26] uh lots of people say we're not going to
[31:29] do it we're going to go some elsewhere
[31:30] it's very low in numbers
[31:32] so if you if you take the Enterprise
[31:34] front or use the screen uh I believe
[31:38] we've heard through here that one to
[31:42] four families we're mandated if you have
[31:44] some type of trash pickup that they
[31:46] equally share the cost
[31:48] so by using a user fee and writing into
[31:51] the regulation per unit covers you up to
[31:55] a full family so that single family home
[31:58] is going to pay x amount of dollars and
[32:01] that for family home is going to pay the
[32:03] same amount of money per unit
[32:06] and I think that's the way to go the
[32:08] enforcement is going to come is
[32:11] five families in US
[32:13] and they're not gonna they're gonna not
[32:16] even be part of this thing because the
[32:18] regulation is going to force them into a
[32:21] dumpster and and it the enforcement of
[32:24] that dumpster will become with the Board
[32:26] of Health so it's it's Germany how many
[32:30] units we have that are going to be
[32:31] eligible for trash pickup and then how
[32:34] many units are not going to be eligible
[32:35] for trash pickup and that's the five
[32:37] families or more and then then industry
[32:40] in those five families are going to
[32:43] either submit a lettuce and this is how
[32:45] we handle our trash and they're not
[32:47] going to pay attention so I I just think
[32:50] it's important that committee look at
[32:52] the restart
[32:54] or the uh pay as you go system user fee
[32:59] you've mixed it up a little bit the user
[33:01] fee is the pay as you throw it's the
[33:03] flat fee okay so yes it's the flat fee
[33:06] yeah
[33:07] I think it's it's important to go either
[33:10] way uh this way it's equally shared by
[33:14] each unit okay uh I think it's important
[33:17] because people don't want to pay more
[33:18] taxes we got a tax increase coming with
[33:20] the regular budget you've got the fire
[33:23] station come in online and then if you
[33:25] go with taxes on the trash you know what
[33:27] people aren't going for it
[33:31] thank you and thank you for the work
[33:33] that you've all done uh it's been a high
[33:36] process for you guys if you guys should
[33:38] be committed for the work that you have
[33:39] done thank you very much thank you Irene
[33:41] did you want to say something yeah I
[33:43] just got the numbers and I can plug them
[33:45] in and so I can kind of give you an idea
[33:47] of wait now that we have the two point
[33:51] 2.4 million here of the cost so if you
[33:56] this is not my computer and it's a
[33:59] little thing here so the cost we're talking about the
[34:04] amount of trash that we have of 4 500 a
[34:07] thousand pounds of
[34:09] 4550
[34:11] 68 tons of trash
[34:14] like 5300.
[34:17] ton for a year
[34:19] that was the number that you gave last
[34:20] time
[34:23] we can
[34:24] and for 90. 90 a ton
[34:28] um
[34:29] the um if you did
[34:32] flat feet all right you wanted to look
[34:34] at taxes taxes
[34:36] yeah I look at your thing taxes with uh
[34:41] taxes with pays you throw just wanted to
[34:44] kind of put that in with the bags
[34:47] you're using your trash comes down about
[34:50] 20 percent
[34:52] residents get two sizes of bags
[34:55] I'm just checking to see if
[35:02] there's a connection if we don't enforce
[35:05] it now I know well I'm just remind me
[35:07] about a yellow bag okay all of a sudden
[35:10] create enforcement it's it's it does
[35:13] because I need to go back
[35:16] they're buying a bag but we're still not
[35:19] if they do not if they do not enforce so
[35:22] you see the bags in the container or
[35:24] people have the extra bags then if it's
[35:28] not in the right bag you get a fine
[35:30] right away so the company said that they
[35:33] would do that for free right away I have
[35:35] some recent pictures may I give to the
[35:38] committee just four hold on just hold on
[35:40] for that the landlord we get let's
[35:42] finish this conversation first just the
[35:45] guy the tenant buys the bag so how that
[35:49] comes out to be is 1.2 million dollars
[35:52] would need to be under the tax base if
[35:55] you were using that taxes and bags if
[35:59] you went with all bags we're talking
[36:01] about 20 to 2 400 2.4 million dollars
[36:05] has to be paid by taxes so if you're
[36:08] saying all taxes then that whole bill
[36:10] 2.24 million dollars has to come from
[36:13] taxes if you were going taxes with pay
[36:16] days you throw with
[36:20] um the average resident would pay 195
[36:23] dollars with their 1.5 bags per week so
[36:26] if you only use less than that you use a
[36:29] smaller bag if I'm saying if you use the
[36:32] large bag of 1.5 bags on average then it
[36:36] would be 195 dollars
[36:39] per year per year per year per year and
[36:41] then that's really all you would pay
[36:43] because the rest comes out of taxes but
[36:45] the taxes would be
[36:47] the what did I just say 1.2 million
[36:50] dollars
[36:51] all right if you go with flat fee which
[36:54] would still require over us
[36:58] all right so now the flat fee the flat
[37:01] fee I'm just looking here to see how it
[37:03] comes out
[37:09] um
[37:18] I'm sorry I missed my mouse I should
[37:20] have brought my mouse with me
[37:24] includes that they've separated out
[37:26] every apartment yeah this is for per one
[37:30] you've got the numbers
[37:36] well because right now we even Supply
[37:38] four and up to six family
[37:42] trash barrels because we don't enforce
[37:44] it
[37:45] says my my thing is that I think like
[37:48] the bad because the colored bag is gonna
[37:51] change that
[37:59] time okay
[38:02] Irene yeah I'm gonna come back to you
[38:04] Miss clemos did you want to say
[38:06] something yeah
[38:09] um well mainly I'm glad you got some
[38:11] sort of number on units yes that was the
[38:13] question I had back a year over a year
[38:15] ago
[38:16] um and I'm five minutes again thank you
[38:19] like the real says to the committee
[38:20] because you guys you know really stepped
[38:22] it up and gotten the information out
[38:24] still almost to do this here but got the
[38:27] information out
[38:28] um we've gone full circle too from well
[38:31] taxes to Black fees to Flat fees with
[38:33] bags so now back to Flat fees I find
[38:35] that very interesting actually because I
[38:37] was actually starting to lean for Splat
[38:38] being back
[38:40] um but honestly whichever way is going
[38:42] to work I I take a a little a little
[38:45] offense in some ways to listening to
[38:47] this non-enforcement thing in the sense
[38:50] that there was a time when we enforced
[38:53] in this community yes it wasn't that
[38:54] long ago well it was now because it's
[38:58] been a while since you know but there
[39:00] was a time where we had some part-time
[39:02] enforcers who went out and wrote tickets
[39:05] and when the tickets started to roll and
[39:07] everybody got on board with
[39:09] understanding what they had to do and
[39:10] how they had to make their tenants
[39:12] comply I'll continue to say this all the
[39:14] time then suddenly we saw it and we saw
[39:17] some clients we saw trash in containers
[39:20] we saw a lot of trash and it weren't and
[39:23] I I took the side many times of
[39:25] landlords who I felt bad for because
[39:27] they had such high tickets because their
[39:29] tenants were the deadbeats not them so
[39:32] just you know being sure on that so in a
[39:35] department in which gets bigger smaller
[39:38] or bigger I'm very confused you know
[39:40] Health Department nothing against it at
[39:43] the moment just saying I don't see why
[39:45] we can enforce you'll need a couple of
[39:47] part-timers or something people who
[39:49] don't need to have you know 401ks or
[39:51] whatever part-time people writing
[39:53] tickets that is the plan that should be
[39:55] easy and that should come out of the
[39:57] Enterprise money that we're collecting
[40:00] I understand I'm just making it clear
[40:02] because the conversation that's been set
[40:05] around here and multiple people have
[40:07] concerns about enforcement I'm just
[40:10] stating as a resident as a former
[40:12] counselor as someone who's sitting at
[40:14] these meetings not just yours but lots
[40:16] of meetings on lots of subject matters
[40:17] when it comes to trash and somebody who
[40:20] calls the the department of scent used
[40:22] to send pictures of non-compliant trash
[40:25] containers and such it can be done and
[40:28] once the curve is met again then the
[40:31] people step up because they don't want
[40:32] those fines so I'm just saying that can
[40:34] be done as far as I was concerned about
[40:36] Mark's comment about um we're giving
[40:38] them more race ways to raise things well
[40:41] clearly it was discussed in here that
[40:43] obviously in the first year you don't
[40:45] really know what's going to happen but
[40:46] with an Enterprise fund you set a rate
[40:48] you set the rate and within you know
[40:51] depending on if you have bags or not but
[40:53] if you just do a flat fee you're going
[40:54] to set the rate and we should be able to
[40:56] know that it's within enough money we
[40:58] should have a contingency in there it's
[41:00] like our water sewer situation we should
[41:02] know what the um what the cost is from
[41:05] the hauler we have a contract doesn't go
[41:07] up for whatever many years or maybe it
[41:09] goes up it's two percent or whatever we
[41:11] should know and there should be a
[41:12] reasonable expectation of that fee what
[41:15] it needs to be how it's going to be
[41:17] raised if it's bags we don't know if the
[41:19] bags bring us the money again reasonable
[41:22] consideration maybe we make extra as it
[41:24] was told to us a few meetings ago in the
[41:26] first year oh and then we can reduce it
[41:28] but maybe we don't make enough and we
[41:29] have to go up a little that's the nature
[41:31] of an Enterprise fund and I and yeah
[41:35] there is that option that someone's
[41:37] going to raise it but in an Enterprise
[41:38] fund the money goes to what it is you're
[41:40] paying for correct not getting the trash
[41:42] so it's not going to go on the tax
[41:45] costers it's not going to get stuffed up
[41:47] we're not going to council voting on how
[41:48] to spend it because it belongs into the
[41:51] Enterprise fund only for use trash use
[41:53] so you know again just being clear as to
[41:56] those types of things you mentioned um
[41:59] opting out it is a it's a state thing we
[42:02] were we we're told that a number of
[42:03] meetings ago unfortunately to my to my
[42:06] concern oh bummer they can opt out that
[42:09] stinks however they have to make prove
[42:11] that they have a reputable hall or of
[42:13] some sorts of legal entity who's taking
[42:15] trash and therefore then they have the
[42:17] right to opt out but as you all skate
[42:19] the cost probably to opt out and just
[42:22] stay in is
[42:24] it's probably going to be cheaper to
[42:26] stay in so why opt out as a matter of
[42:28] fact the idea of having small businesses
[42:30] opt in is a much more lucrative thing to
[42:33] go after now there's something for um
[42:37] for future to go after with a campaign
[42:39] saying you have the ability now to get
[42:42] your trash picked up on trash day with
[42:44] everybody else here's the cost I think
[42:46] that will make money and maybe help
[42:47] reduce the average person's fee just
[42:50] saying
[42:51] um let's see opt-in opt-in enforcements
[42:54] you know I talked a service resident
[42:56] said to me they couldn't understand you
[42:57] know Sturbridge has a lots of things but
[43:00] she sees six haulers going down her Road
[43:02] and she goes I don't understand I take
[43:03] all my things in my five different bins
[43:05] then I go to the transfer station which
[43:07] is free she goes I don't understand why
[43:09] these people you know there's so many
[43:10] haulers and storage is horrendous how
[43:13] many haulers are going down the road on
[43:15] the same given day so just saying from a
[43:17] local community who thinks and she works
[43:20] she's a
[43:22] she's in this community in a
[43:24] Manufacturing Company in a high position
[43:26] so you know she's she sees what's going
[43:28] on in Southbridge and she was actually
[43:30] she was at the business meeting and
[43:31] heard the discussion and was was really
[43:34] surprised at the option itself for chess
[43:36] and thought it was a great thing
[43:38] Worcester which had more like that so
[43:40] just saying
[43:42] um what else I I still go I go either
[43:45] way you know you guys think fluffy I
[43:46] think it's great you don't have to worry
[43:48] as much compliance but I certainly hope
[43:50] we have compliance we enforce it as far
[43:53] as containment and and the mattresses
[43:56] and all that we need to get out there
[43:58] boots on the ground is what it's going
[44:00] to take can't get out of this town hall
[44:02] walk down the street and write a few
[44:03] tickets it's very simple you could write
[44:05] them all your way out of town and in
[44:07] town
[44:08] um but I think if we don't do that
[44:09] nothing's gonna ever change that did
[44:12] change we got lazy again and it's time
[44:15] to enforce again it's just like being
[44:17] prepared with your children
[44:19] um and there was something else I was
[44:21] going to say about all that but I guess
[44:22] it's not so important that I did write
[44:25] it down
[44:27] so thank you I hope I hope we get this
[44:30] accomplished really soon
[44:34] um uh before I go to you Kevin this is
[44:36] playing a question for uh
[44:39] yeah so these numbers that you're giving
[44:42] us
[44:43] the first Little Numbers you just gave
[44:45] us is based on our collections number
[44:47] correct yeah so my question is is how
[44:50] accurate is that collector's number okay
[44:53] that's the number that we had just
[44:55] received of the um
[44:58] you know of what the what the what their
[45:01] collection cost would be 1.7 I'm just
[45:04] doing the trash yeah and we'd have a
[45:06] reduction
[45:12] and it will go up with years you know
[45:15] there is a five percent right it goes up
[45:17] every Thursday
[45:21] yeah I'm using the most updated number
[45:23] that I have
[45:39] [Music]
[45:48] that number we gave you is really a good
[45:51] number to use as you figure out the best
[45:53] way to pay right because my estimate was
[45:55] 1.3 million and really is 1.7 you know
[45:58] so that that impacts a lot of it
[46:01] changing numbers yes I want to go with
[46:04] Kevin oh are you done yeah the second
[46:06] part of the question is
[46:10] we're trying to base it on military
[46:13] families pay more on stuff
[46:15] how accurate is that number that you're
[46:17] getting from the town
[46:19] do we even have that number
[46:23] Francine actually has a lot of that
[46:25] information she can tell you how many
[46:27] multi-families there are yeah
[46:48] enforcement uh last meeting we heard
[46:52] about the D2
[46:54] glitch in other words that there was
[46:56] some seventy thousand dollars worth of
[46:59] fines and tickets written out but there
[47:02] was never
[47:05] um an I.T line item or something to make
[47:09] sure that it's fine got attached to that
[47:12] property is that still in existence are
[47:14] we going forward that we want to enact
[47:16] Municipal charges mean so when you want
[47:20] to identify ticketing ticketing is great
[47:22] but it's been more show than substance
[47:24] here because all of these unpaid tickets
[47:28] now at the beginning when these were
[47:31] issued years before my time I'm sure
[47:33] they were effective but with time it
[47:36] became apparent that if you don't pay
[47:37] your ticket there's no consequences from
[47:41] and I have a significant amount of
[47:43] unpaid
[47:47] tickets that were not even the the
[47:50] individuals didn't even make the effort
[47:53] to appeal
[47:55] so there was no follow-up now now with
[47:58] the enactment of the municipal charges
[48:00] name if those are unpaid we didn't go to
[48:03] certain departments at the end of the
[48:05] year meaning the health department of
[48:06] issues
[48:08] see yeah they're unpaid they will get
[48:11] stuck to your taxes okay and I have been
[48:15] down this road in my experience it works
[48:17] very well it resonates with individuals
[48:20] the word word gets out so to speak I
[48:22] think we'll take it seriously okay well
[48:24] right now we're deficient of that and
[48:26] it's been problematic and I have
[48:28] pictures to even substantiate a
[48:31] commonality that we face
[48:36] you I'm going to look at the picture all
[48:39] right uh can can I have an insurance
[48:41] from the health department and the town
[48:44] manager that that municipal
[48:47] process to make sure he
[48:50] finds our
[48:52] tag to the properties yes yes
[48:56] okay we've already moved with that okay
[48:59] and on
[49:00] um bins in bags
[49:03] um
[49:04] the flat service fee would cover the bin
[49:08] um there we we always talked about the
[49:11] fact that any change we do to the
[49:14] climbing common masses out there
[49:16] takes
[49:18] a lot of time effort and we still have
[49:22] people that don't comply and it's been
[49:24] four years 17 years since we've been
[49:26] trying to compile however what if we to
[49:31] avoid
[49:32] the confusion of bags if we start by
[49:36] using the bin system and say as long as
[49:39] your trash is fitting in the bin and
[49:42] you're paying your flat fee your service
[49:43] fee your company however in the future
[49:47] we may end up going with
[49:50] bags
[49:52] giving people so people understand
[49:54] there's not going to be any change now
[49:58] but if you don't start
[50:00] following the rules yeah doing your
[50:03] recycling you're going to end up buying
[50:05] trash bags in the future
[50:08] so the problem with that is first of all
[50:11] the bags will help us reduce the cost
[50:14] second of all a survey came back an
[50:17] overwhelming amount of residents when we
[50:19] turn the survey you want bags so I think
[50:22] we should comply with what they want
[50:26] the flat fee the taxes were pretty close
[50:29] you could go either way we had over 1600
[50:32] people respond I think that's a pretty
[50:34] good player of What the residents in
[50:36] this town know so just tell me how the
[50:39] back makes the difference I mean that's
[50:40] what I'm saying it'll help offset the
[50:42] cost yeah but or you put in a bag the
[50:44] more bags you have to buy you will
[50:47] recycle more yeah but also you're paying
[50:49] for the bank so that goes into the
[50:52] revenue it's a psychological thing that
[50:54] when you it's looking for something it
[50:57] reduces it's also an enforcement in that
[51:00] the hauler sees it you get a fine right
[51:02] away
[51:04] should not happen now because there's no
[51:06] question the lawn chair sticking out of
[51:08] a recycling because nobody's paying the
[51:10] cost right now
[51:11] okay hold on
[51:14] are we all sitting out here are we ready
[51:16] to I am 1650 out of six thousand six 1
[51:21] 650 respondents that does not represent
[51:24] no it doesn't a big portion of this
[51:26] community it's a pretty good pool I just
[51:28] have one more numbers that's actually
[51:29] very good I only have one question
[51:35] does anybody know where the Royal were
[51:39] the royalties from the dump was that put
[51:40] into an Enterprise fund
[51:44] I know but in its entirety it's never
[51:47] been touched because it's in an
[51:48] Enterprise fund to start up trash right
[51:50] yeah
[51:56] the idea behind it the idea behind it
[52:01] was that the royalty fund was supposed
[52:03] to be for our trash startup right yeah
[52:10] [Music]
[52:13] knowing that we would run out one day
[52:15] you know free trash okay
[52:18] [Music]
[52:24] well she has numbers thank you okay
[52:29] right now okay
[52:43] I've been using this model for other
[52:45] communities it has worked and I don't
[52:47] know why it keeps saying
[52:49] so we're just talking about tonnage
[52:51] we're talking about cost ninety dollars
[52:53] per ton we're talking about the solid
[52:57] waste collection that's the guy going
[52:58] down the road it's a salary for two
[53:00] different things one is the salary for
[53:02] Board of Health that's always in there
[53:06] um and uh there is publicity there is
[53:09] billing costs uh for a staff person for
[53:13] if you do the flat fee version if you
[53:17] just do a flat fee just by itself then
[53:22] it comes out to 372 dollars per unit so
[53:27] if you have a six unit then you times
[53:29] that by six per year per year per year
[53:32] sign me up yeah I'm in 17. 31 a month
[53:37] yeah
[53:38] what are we doing why are we arguing
[53:45] because we need the multi-families to
[53:47] pay just a little bit more okay
[53:51] hold on let us finish please okay if you
[53:55] go with the flat fee and pays you throw
[53:57] so you have a two dollar bag and a one
[53:59] dollar bag so people that I only put out
[54:02] one bag if the apartment they pay for
[54:05] what they use
[54:06] the landlord pays what they you to have
[54:09] the container so that is
[54:13] 240
[54:16] uh for the flat fee
[54:20] and 156 dollars if you use a dollar a
[54:24] 1.5 bags per
[54:27] um per year so it's actually perfect
[54:35] if you are using so yes it costs more if
[54:41] you do the average but there are some
[54:43] people the best people that use more if
[54:45] you go away you don't pay for a bag of
[54:47] trash if you
[54:49] um you know if you're a one person
[54:51] you're probably only gonna use the
[54:53] growth you know the smaller bags
[54:56] if you do a full hold on
[55:01] if you're doing the whole thing the
[55:04] whole cost for the whole operation is
[55:05] 2.4 2.2 right point four million dollars
[55:09] you have to put on the tax base so
[55:10] that's the other if the taxes go up they
[55:12] have to do that if you do an all
[55:15] encompassing so a little bit in the
[55:17] taxes a little bit and things then it is
[55:20] about 55 is it 220 flat fee
[55:25] 156 dollars for a one one bag uh 1.5
[55:30] bags per week and then you put 225
[55:35] 000 in the tax base like that there's a
[55:38] portion in the text and you name your
[55:40] pothole on your Hill
[55:44] so it's not that big of a difference but
[55:47] if it's it's spread out 55. yeah it'd be
[55:51] 55 a quarter then and if you are a
[55:54] senior plus the best plus the bag but if
[55:57] you're just a senior and you're doing
[55:58] this one a dollar of a kitchen bag it's
[56:01] still a professional
[56:03] um anything's additional if you're going
[56:05] to pay 300 I'm going to go with Francine
[56:07] next
[56:08] so the first question I have this
[56:10] because I've been looking at the billing
[56:12] cycle it's been said that it's one two
[56:14] or four family
[56:15] okay but it has it's seven you're up to
[56:18] six it's up to six units right seven
[56:21] units or more have their own dumpster on
[56:23] their land such as Riverview place has
[56:27] 42 units or whatever they have a big
[56:30] trash dumpster yep okay so let's be
[56:33] clear on that that the number it goes
[56:36] from one family to six family including
[56:38] condos that are single unit okay
[56:42] um
[56:43] my other thing before I get to the
[56:45] billing part of it
[56:46] the I have talked to multiple people
[56:50] um and not really my choice they brought
[56:53] it to me a the survey they didn't
[56:56] understand it I must have had seven
[56:57] people that told me they didn't return
[56:59] it because there was no dollar amount
[57:01] and they didn't understand it
[57:04] so that's right that's right they don't
[57:07] want to come anyway I don't want to go
[57:08] there so that may have skew the results
[57:10] right yeah so they said you're going to
[57:12] do what you want you're going to do well
[57:14] I can't I said I can't control it I work
[57:17] for the town the decision maker okay
[57:20] um
[57:21] the second thing is the black Torres
[57:23] versus the Green toters
[57:25] a lot of people
[57:28] or they're saying they called for extra
[57:31] toters in the health department and they
[57:34] can't get more black Taurus I said well
[57:36] you're not supposed to it's one per unit
[57:39] oh I have eight
[57:40] so this is the thing those toters need
[57:43] to be marked inventory you know like my
[57:47] brother said send out a letter to all
[57:49] homeowners to verify this is the total
[57:51] we have listed for you your black Tony a
[57:54] green toner these are the numbers on it
[57:56] please confirm and sign if you don't you
[57:58] get a fine
[58:00] you need to reply back to inventory list
[58:03] and of course all the single families
[58:05] are gonna they're gonna comply okay but
[58:08] the ones that don't send back the letter
[58:10] then you follow up and go out there and
[58:12] inventory those toters all right for
[58:14] example when we first got the toters my
[58:16] three family I had six black toters and
[58:18] three green
[58:19] why I had to call the health department
[58:22] not the staff but previously to get them
[58:25] removed previous employee from the
[58:27] health department followed a guy that
[58:29] had black toters on the back of his
[58:31] pickup truck and drove him to
[58:32] Connecticut the employee followed the
[58:35] guy into Connecticut all right and went
[58:37] to his land pulled in and he was you
[58:41] know confronted him the guy gave him
[58:42] some kind of sob story that he was
[58:45] washing the
[58:47] toters out at his property says you have
[58:49] a water spigot at your house don't you
[58:51] in Southbridge
[58:53] you know put those things back on your
[58:56] truck and bring it back to Southbridge
[58:58] by the end of the day and we have um
[59:06] but the other thing other Town people
[59:10] you know they don't think it's fair to
[59:12] go one family pays the same as a six
[59:15] family or four family five family should
[59:17] be a graduated rate that graduated or
[59:20] don't whatever but again that's not
[59:22] gonna be our decision no but I'm just
[59:25] saying I'm not getting any
[59:28] feedback as to put it on the tax bill
[59:30] I'm getting
[59:32] a flat fee and a yellow bag yellow pink
[59:35] purple whatever thing you know because
[59:37] most of them say yellow bags because you
[59:39] get this they could bring them to
[59:41] Worcester
[59:42] okay I have four people that told me
[59:45] that you can get them out of the health
[59:47] department he has to have our name on it
[59:49] big deal how are they going to check in
[59:51] so that's the other thing I granted
[59:54] there's a camera on the thing but how
[59:55] does it know okay that it's a
[59:57] Southbridge bag
[59:59] so as a label but yeah you're good yeah
[1:00:04] there's going to be even more expensive
[1:00:07] if we go with the one and two dollars
[1:00:08] then worcester's more expensive right so
[1:00:12] there you go so there you all said okay
[1:00:14] who do you want to go with ours
[1:00:17] is I did the testing or tried to what
[1:00:19] they titled Communications I do not have
[1:00:22] the general ledger numbers I could not
[1:00:24] test it for trash I did all there was
[1:00:27] all other things that had nothing to do
[1:00:28] with trash instead of you know just
[1:00:32] ahead of it anyway but they're not
[1:00:34] having a GL leads me dead in the water
[1:00:36] come this Monday to do testing so
[1:00:41] yeah the accounting and the town manager
[1:00:44] Tom manager came to Rachel and said it's
[1:00:47] delayed so I can't and I'm not you know
[1:00:50] I know I'm on camera but it's very
[1:00:52] difficult to do my job if I'm not giving
[1:00:54] given the things I need right so I'm
[1:00:56] saying to this committee at this point
[1:00:58] if I don't have a
[1:00:59] gl's on Monday
[1:01:01] and even so if I did and I'm doing the
[1:01:04] testing I still need more sessions with
[1:01:07] the with toddler communication to fix
[1:01:09] the software two tests okay and
[1:01:12] especially because I have to do import
[1:01:13] of all these files and create new
[1:01:15] accounts and create new Services the
[1:01:18] billing part of it will be something
[1:01:20] that will be in this cost benefit
[1:01:22] analysis that will be done and then we
[1:01:24] will check it out see if it should be
[1:01:26] done in the house right for whether it
[1:01:28] should be done by a private company
[1:01:29] right so the thing is
[1:01:32] I need a three month I need a quote from
[1:01:35] the type of communications and we need a
[1:01:37] three to four month late time to book
[1:01:40] the people I need to work with okay
[1:01:42] we're already in March I'm in April it's
[1:01:45] not I've booked it in February and I my
[1:01:47] choices were either April or May so you
[1:01:51] can't you know it's not your fall
[1:01:52] friends
[1:01:56] so if you have something new Miss
[1:01:58] Clemens otherwise we're going to start
[1:02:00] voting here no go ahead uh companies the
[1:02:03] thing I forgot to mention was holler
[1:02:05] compliance you know we continually talk
[1:02:07] about uh Community compliance I hope
[1:02:10] that somewhere in that contract is
[1:02:12] holler compliance can you talk about the
[1:02:13] cameras and everybody doing the right
[1:02:14] thing but the haulers are two things
[1:02:16] well the main thing about Haulers is I
[1:02:19] go out trash day everyone's got their
[1:02:20] trash lined up I come back I see trash
[1:02:23] cans everywhere because the haulers do
[1:02:24] what they want because we really need to
[1:02:26] have holler compliance as well so that
[1:02:28] our streets and our sidewalks are safe
[1:02:30] to transfer from whether it's a person
[1:02:32] with disabilities or whether it's a
[1:02:33] mother with a carriage and as Miss
[1:02:35] Congdon said at the last meeting the
[1:02:37] hauler that would be in the contract
[1:02:40] right I'm just mentioning it because we
[1:02:42] haven't had that to the state so I'm
[1:02:44] bringing it up because that was what I
[1:02:46] forgot but
[1:02:47] um as far as the money goes with the
[1:02:49] numbers that you're if they are kind of
[1:02:51] accurate so I'm a little concerned you
[1:02:52] know up to six families seven or more is
[1:02:54] the number wrong so did we only compile
[1:02:56] up to four families or do we compile up
[1:02:58] to six but it's really fours so we did
[1:03:01] up to taxes so therefore it's not up to
[1:03:04] Fours so is our number correct in in
[1:03:06] your calculation
[1:03:08] okay that's because it was it was you
[1:03:11] were talking four versus six absolutely
[1:03:12] so that could be an over a stage it's
[1:03:15] just an estimate too I think at this
[1:03:16] point right but four to six could be a
[1:03:18] big number yeah I'm using this but again
[1:03:20] at 372 I think you have room for legal
[1:03:23] there just my opinion
[1:03:25] um as far as the uh compliance with that
[1:03:27] kind of number you could hire two part
[1:03:29] time you could hire two extra people for
[1:03:31] an entire year and and it wouldn't cost
[1:03:33] us that much more as a community to be
[1:03:35] honest this money is expecting that
[1:03:37] you're having two people right but I'm
[1:03:39] saying you could that's so low if you
[1:03:41] ask me to remember I know it's not low
[1:03:42] to everybody but I'm just saying if you
[1:03:44] really needed to have it it's really
[1:03:46] worth that much you know to stick on an
[1:03:48] extra 20 bucks to us so that you can
[1:03:50] make sure our streets are perfect but
[1:03:51] anyway just say
[1:03:52] um as far as the extra toters very
[1:03:54] interesting uh comments there but can we
[1:03:57] and I've asked this way back I asked
[1:03:59] about this you know there I if somebody
[1:04:01] has a house where they have you know
[1:04:02] they want to pay for two toters a year
[1:04:04] can they not opt in and pay for just you
[1:04:07] know multi-families off the into pay
[1:04:08] can't they buy two toners and and be
[1:04:10] charged twice why not I don't know that
[1:04:13] you know I'm just saying some people
[1:04:15] want to told us they're going to pay for
[1:04:16] the trash of two toters can they do that
[1:04:19] um that's something we should we should
[1:04:21] think about negotiating without the
[1:04:22] contract as long as you know I mean I
[1:04:25] don't know you could have extra colors
[1:04:26] for recycling
[1:04:28] yeah so okay but I'm saying somebody
[1:04:30] wants to pay for extra trash they do
[1:04:33] people single-family homes do have two
[1:04:35] more multiple yeah
[1:04:38] but they're Town one so somebody from
[1:04:41] the town gave it to them so how illegal
[1:04:43] is that
[1:04:46] [Music]
[1:05:31] so yes is it quoted former counselor
[1:05:40] okay I think that's it thank you all
[1:05:42] right
[1:05:43] so we're gonna take a vote here and what
[1:05:45] how you want to go with this this is the
[1:05:47] recommendation I am going to make to the
[1:05:49] Town concert on Monday night
[1:05:51] um
[1:05:52] we'll go around the room
[1:05:55] um oh first of all
[1:05:58] how should we do this should we do do
[1:06:00] you want flat fee or taxes and then do
[1:06:03] you want to add bags or do you want it
[1:06:04] all together I'd say we go with the flat
[1:06:06] fee and for knee pad bags later on we do
[1:06:09] it because the flat fee like we said it
[1:06:11] was 372 that's that's not bad at all
[1:06:13] that's real nice
[1:06:16] [Music]
[1:06:18] I like my bags
[1:06:26] this is great
[1:06:28] Steve I'm in favor of flat fee and with
[1:06:30] an Enterprise account I'm sure it would
[1:06:32] be yeah
[1:06:34] no bags I would agree to bags later I
[1:06:37] think Kevin had a great idea all right
[1:06:38] yeah all right
[1:06:40] go ahead flat fee with bags later
[1:06:44] same flat fee with bags later
[1:06:47] good
[1:06:52] um
[1:06:52] celebrity I I would like to see you next
[1:06:55] fix extended multi-family
[1:06:59] um
[1:07:00] if that can be worked out uh flat fee in
[1:07:03] future bags I think all right
[1:07:06] you know I feel you need my vote yeah
[1:07:11] and bags later so that's one two three
[1:07:16] seven man seven flat feet and no bags
[1:07:19] I'm gonna stick with taxes okay
[1:07:35] yeah I told you when we started I'm
[1:07:38] going to go to the conference though
[1:07:39] exactly what you're recommending so our
[1:07:42] last agenda items that make a
[1:07:44] recommendation of Town Council on using
[1:07:46] other funds I went to the arpa committee
[1:07:48] tonight I asked for some funds
[1:07:50] unfortunately I had to come down here so
[1:07:52] I never I never found out exactly what
[1:07:55] happened with that councilor Adams is
[1:07:57] here go ahead yeah so right now what we
[1:07:58] did was did an operational pause in the
[1:08:00] arpa account we did it now
[1:08:02] obviously use some of this money for for
[1:08:05] the trash so it's going to be about 380
[1:08:09] 000 I believe in the top of my head
[1:08:11] getting all the computer and stuff taken
[1:08:13] care of so right now we'll hold off on
[1:08:15] 380 000 I know you looked at a couple
[1:08:17] people to hire on and obviously some
[1:08:20] startup fees so we'll hold that money
[1:08:23] Friday now okay all right and then the
[1:08:26] other thing is do we want to recommend
[1:08:27] using some funds from the royalty
[1:08:30] account that's what I have recommended
[1:08:31] that we look at go ahead Mr Grandma's
[1:08:34] um what do we say we had around three
[1:08:36] I think I think it's a good idea to take
[1:08:39] a little bit out of the room for
[1:08:40] royalties
[1:08:42] um the reason I say that is a lot of
[1:08:44] people don't realize they came up
[1:08:45] earlier what that fund is for right and
[1:08:47] it's for anything the time once I get
[1:08:49] that however
[1:08:51] I've done a unique perspective being in
[1:08:52] the water department we just well not we
[1:08:55] Casella and GP just installed water
[1:08:56] mains in Charlton because of
[1:08:58] contamination coming from that landfill
[1:08:59] that 3.9 million dollars in the future
[1:09:02] is going to be needed to possibly extend
[1:09:04] water lines in other parts of town as
[1:09:06] contamination spreads yeah or possible
[1:09:08] lawsuits we need to be careful not to
[1:09:10] pillage that account or else we're gonna
[1:09:11] have to come out of pocket for it later
[1:09:13] so we've just warn everybody to try to
[1:09:15] fleece that account
[1:09:16] it's you're borrowing from Peter to pay
[1:09:18] Paul in my opinion so be careful so what
[1:09:20] is your recommendation
[1:09:24] under half a million all right
[1:09:25] a million or less maybe a quarter
[1:09:28] be careful that's all I'll say because
[1:09:30] I've seen you know how where this goes
[1:09:32] that's all thank you Kathy did you wanna
[1:09:35] [Music]
[1:09:36] oh I'm sorry
[1:09:37] go ahead all right I'm not opposed like
[1:09:40] I told you Mike before that maybe out of
[1:09:42] royalty but I'd also like to see
[1:09:43] something I want to go back into the
[1:09:44] royalty agree with Steve at the same
[1:09:46] time we've made it very clear at the
[1:09:48] council we should hold on that money
[1:09:50] just in case of future lawsuits the
[1:09:51] insurance money is now gone so we got to
[1:09:54] be really careful with it if we could
[1:09:56] pay some of that money back with uh down
[1:09:58] the road in a few years that would be
[1:10:00] great as well but I I don't know if I
[1:10:03] would my recommendation to to the
[1:10:05] committee would be going is this really
[1:10:07] what you you are you want to vote on
[1:10:09] this or do you want the Town Council to take a look do you have your numbers
[1:10:14] and what you really want to do to start
[1:10:15] off just hold off and say but hold up
[1:10:18] for now maybe you don't need that money
[1:10:20] yeah okay you know it's a good safety
[1:10:25] net yeah if we took 385 out of arpa if
[1:10:27] we were to take another 120 that would
[1:10:29] get us to 500 000 that would give us
[1:10:31] almost a quarter's worth of payments for
[1:10:34] the hauler to get our to get our first
[1:10:36] quarter of the payment coming in from
[1:10:38] the citizen so that could be reasonable
[1:10:40] all right how soon can we get this the
[1:10:42] counselors Steve did you want to say
[1:10:44] something
[1:10:45] I don't know I was thinking kind of
[1:10:46] along the same lines that Steve was
[1:10:48] thinking about of
[1:10:49] baby 500 grand
[1:10:52] um I I would love to be able to use more
[1:10:54] but I mean we did see how expensive
[1:10:57] those last that last round of lawsuits
[1:10:59] was and when we finally had to finally
[1:11:03] get it settled Council Steve what would
[1:11:05] you think if we did a like almost like a
[1:11:07] surveyors loan where the the Enterprise
[1:11:09] account agrees to put money back into
[1:11:11] landfill Royals these over a 10-year
[1:11:12] period so just make sure we have that
[1:11:15] money that our kids who needed that's
[1:11:16] not a bad idea would that be legally
[1:11:18] would be able to do anything else it's
[1:11:21] free money
[1:11:22] all right
[1:11:26] no I think I think he's got a point
[1:11:28] though is that we don't want to we don't
[1:11:29] want to rate and we we there have in the
[1:11:31] past been times when people rated that
[1:11:33] account do you just want to lock it up
[1:11:34] somehow make sure it stays there in one
[1:11:36] place the Catch-22 is that it is I mean
[1:11:40] it is not a Revival it's not a revolving
[1:11:42] fund it is not a um it's not an
[1:11:45] Enterprise it's just an account correct
[1:11:48] um and
[1:11:50] we don't have any more money coming into
[1:11:51] this
[1:11:52] uh actually um
[1:11:59] so your recommendation we take a look at
[1:12:01] that well I think we're not also I mean
[1:12:04] I think we can do that
[1:12:06] um I think we should probably
[1:12:09] I mean we've we've talked about at our
[1:12:11] bill we're talking about the idea of
[1:12:12] scraping some of these other old
[1:12:13] accounts that might be worth looking at
[1:12:16] but we also have so many other costs
[1:12:18] that we need and I think we do need to
[1:12:20] be careful about
[1:12:23] taking all of this loose money and just
[1:12:25] kind of dumping it into one place if we
[1:12:27] may need it for other costs because we
[1:12:29] will all right
[1:12:31] I'm gonna go with you next Kevin
[1:12:33] what do you think of using some
[1:12:36] um I I I think it I think the users need to pay for the service
[1:12:45] um like I said if it's a situation
[1:12:48] I I don't see any advantage to oh let's
[1:12:51] grab 500 000 from here and oh wait a
[1:12:54] minute how about if we take
[1:12:56] um you know a little from here this will
[1:12:58] just be a first start but no so I would
[1:13:01] say leave it as a safety net
[1:13:04] um and and we need to walk we need to
[1:13:07] walk on on our own and not have
[1:13:10] subsidized service anymore
[1:13:15] uh any opinion on it at all yeah I mean
[1:13:18] I I agree with Steve that you know we
[1:13:22] need some money in case something really
[1:13:24] does happen I mean Steve was speaking
[1:13:26] about a real life situation this that
[1:13:29] wasn't a guess he knows that happened he
[1:13:32] knows the numbers he knows what it cost
[1:13:33] us okay and I just think that if we do
[1:13:36] it through an account like that
[1:13:39] you know there has to be some way so
[1:13:42] that
[1:13:43] if something bad happens somebody don't
[1:13:45] go dipping into that account because it
[1:13:46] happens more frequently than not it has
[1:13:49] retirement plans
[1:13:52] one of the things we haven't yet
[1:13:54] discussed is the fact that we've got
[1:13:55] more than 5 million
[1:13:57] right
[1:13:58] um and although that was and obviously
[1:14:01] that's yet and that's similar under the
[1:14:03] similar similar circumstances where
[1:14:04] that's one of the record rainy day
[1:14:06] accounts that quite frankly we haven't
[1:14:08] used much but
[1:14:14] um I think this is something where maybe
[1:14:16] we want to seriously consider using a
[1:14:18] little bit not a lot okay
[1:14:21] um
[1:14:29] yes
[1:14:41] [Music]
[1:14:46] okay I thought you were going to start
[1:14:48] up the fee at least a quarter or more
[1:14:50] sooner anyway so I'm confused as to why
[1:14:53] you need to dip in too much if you were
[1:14:55] going to start building say in the fall
[1:14:57] because they don't there's some things
[1:14:59] that I'm not sure about but I'm gonna
[1:15:01] hit the r but and then do that right
[1:15:04] I
[1:15:52] it is uh
[1:15:54] the point is that 380 000 should not be
[1:15:59] the first thing that's stress it should
[1:16:00] be actually if you're gonna build early
[1:16:02] and obviously bylaws have to change we
[1:16:04] have to you know prove if we don't want
[1:16:06] this or not get a system going a little
[1:16:09] early and then didn't work if you need
[1:16:11] that 380 or we have to zip into a little
[1:16:13] bit my concern is and I'll tell you what
[1:16:16] my concern is we've been told we're
[1:16:18] going to keep the toters are we going to
[1:16:19] keep the toters I don't know so what if
[1:16:22] we have to buy toters I know Anna said
[1:16:26] we're going to keep the toners but I
[1:16:28] don't know it says
[1:16:54] thank you