Bristol Recycling Committee

28 July 2008

6:00 p.m. Bristol Fire Department Classroom

 

Present

Mark Gelinas – Guest, Bestway Representative

Art Borry

Mark Bucklin

Paul Dabrule

David Hill

Steve Favorite, Guest

Sara Shattuck

Francine Swan

Paul Weston, Guest, Town Manager

 

The meeting began at 6:00 p.m.  Mr. Gelinas provided handouts that described Bestway Disposal Single Stream Mixed Recycling Services and talked about the potential benefit these services might have for the town of Bristol.   All recyclable material would go into one container at the transfer station.  Bestway would transport the recyclable material to their consolidation center in Belmont.  The Hual rate would be $215.00 as opposed to the $315 Bristol is paying now; in addition Bestway would pay the town $5.00 a ton for their recyclable materials.  This would include all plastics (1-7).   

 

Mark Bucklin said the town is currently making about 15 thousand dollars per year on mixed fiber recycling and Mr. Gelians was asked if Bristol could hold out the cardboard so the town could continue this income stream.  Mr. Gelinas said that might be possible.  Single stream will change what can be recycled in the way of glass as no ceramics can be recycled.  This would include bathroom porcelain and window glass.  

 

It was suggested that the Lakes Region Planning Asociation be contacted to come out to the transfer station and install a counter to get an idea of the amount of traffic pasing through at peak times.  Mr. Gelinas thanked the committee for their time and left.

 

Transfer station stickers were discussed to include the pros and cons of requiring a sticker and fees.  Sticker enforcement will begin in September and individuals will be turned around at the entrance if they do not have a sticker; it was suggested that stickers should be available for purchase when the extra personnel for monitoring are present at the transfer station.  It was suggested that there be some way to purchase a sticker at the transfer station.  Some part time residents have commented that they are not normally in town when town offices are open and so if thought they don’t have a lot of opportunity to purchase a dump sticker.  It was suggested that transfer station stickers be available for sale at the transfer station during the month of May to give part year residents a chance to buy a sticker before the busy season begins. 

 

There was a suggestion made that someone be hired whose full time responsibility is the supervision and running of the transfer station. 

 

Mr. Borry made a motion to recommend that the select board do a request for Proposal for a single stream recycling vendor.  Mr. Dabrule seconded the motion.  Mr. Hill asked for discussion and suggested that cardboard be kept out of the single stream to continue the income stream currently coming from that recycling stream.  Mr. Hill moved to forward that recommendation to the select board and Ms. Shattuck seconded the motion.  A vote was held and the committee was split.  The committee will recommend tht the select board do an RFP for single stream but will be informed that the committee was split on whether that should include cardboard fiber and that the select board should decide whether they want to keep cardboard/mixed fiber out and continue collecting  separated revenue for the cardboard. 

 

Mr. Westin asked about the committee’s charter and whether it was to design a new transfer station.  There was discussion about whether the committee was to design the transfer station.  It was discussed that the committee made a recommendation in their last report to the select board and that the select board approved the committee to continue along the lines of their suggested recommendations.  Mr. Westin invited the committee members to attend the next select board meeting where he would ask for clarification of the committee’s charter. 

 

The committee confirmed that they had approved awarding prize money to the art contest winners in the amount of $100 for first place, $75 for second place and $35 for third place.  The letter and press release will be on the agenda to discuss for the next meeting.