Cool acceptance of transfer station fee

North Stonington - Before John Onorato could pull into the transfer station Thursday afternoon, he had to stop and get out of his car.

With his car registration as proof of residency and $60 to hand over, he waited as a transfer station worker affixed a white 2010 sticker to the left corner of his windshield.

There's always been a transfer station sticker, but never a fee.

For the first time, the town is charging a $60 fee to cover the cost of processing the trash residents are bringing to the landfill.

"I don't mind paying it. If the town needs the money they'll find some way to get it eventually," Onorato said.

The town is bringing more curbside trash to the regional incinerator than it has budgeted, so it must now charge landfill users to make up the difference, according to First Selectman Nicholas Mullane II.

"Essentially, we're charging to recover tonnage coming into the transfer station. If the haulers are picking up curbside, we're getting paid. We're not getting paid for what's coming into the landfill," Mullane said.

Selectmen's Assistant Robin Roohr, said 801 stickers have been sold to date, and selectmen expect to sell 1,000.

Stickers are issued only to residents. Most of those are people whose car registrations and addresses are on a master list produced by the town, Mullane said. The only others allowed to buy stickers are residents who are on active military duty and do not have their cars registered in town, and residents who lease their cars and may have an out-of-town or out-of-state registration.

Each household is allowed two stickers.

"As long as the taxes on the leased cars are paid for and we're able to see on the tax rolls that it's being paid for, then we're OK," Mullane said.

While residents like Onorato may not have a problem paying the $60 fee, resident Brian Rathburn believes the fee is a hidden tax.

"At the first budget meeting they said there was no increase in the taxes, and then they close the dump one day a week," Rathburn said. "Therefore they raised my taxes because they didn't go down. Next thing, there's a $60 fee. As far as I'm concerned it's another tax."

He said has not paid the fee for the sticker and does not plan to.

"I'm keeping my trash and taking it to other Dumpsters. If I can't take it to other Dumpsters, I'll burn my trash in the yard," Rathburn said.

Residents still have the option of paying $25 a month for curbside pickup, but there are restrictions on what can be put on the curb. Mattresses, tires, leaves, stuffed chairs and hazardous materials like gasoline and motor oils are banned.

"A lot of people don't want curbside pickup because some of their driveways are 300 feet long. If they're going to drive down their driveway they might as well go to the transfer station," Mullane said. "And there are other things at the station like the Salvation Army and the 'still good' shed."

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2008, residents, businesses, and institutions throughout the United States produced about 250 million tons of municipal solid waste, or approximately 4.5 pounds of waste per person per day.

In 2005, the town produced a record amount of trash: 3,764 tons. Last year the town produced 3,200 tons of garbage. Although the amounts fluctuate year to year, the average cost to dispose of that trash has remained steady, Mullane said. This year, the town budgeted $378,000 for landfill expenses.

The estimated cost to make up for the difference in varying tonnages and the cost to haul the garbage, is about $60,000 a year.

The town will cover those costs with the transfer station fee. Mullane said it is possible the fee could change.

"People in town pay a lot of taxes and we're trying to get the controls in so we can push the tonnage down and increase recyclables," Mullane said.

Donna Pelish has been working at the transfer station for 10 years. If anyone bears the brunt of the complaints, she said, it's her.

"For the most part people are for it, and there are a few that are against it and we have to tell them not to shoot the messenger," Pelish said. "They have to look at it, $60 a year is like $5 a month. Compared to other towns we're still cheaper."

Towns like having a "pay-per-bag" fee and using a designated hauler, which Mullane thinks is the most cost-effective way.

"There aren't a lot of places in town that could sell the bags. There's a big competition between the people on how they can get rid of their waste the cheapest and easiest way," Mullane said.

Resident Bruce Allen said he believes the fee is fair.

"It's the going rate in Mystic and probably everywhere else. Someone has to pay it, so I'm not against it," Allen said.

Mullane said selectmen will review the fee for next year if they see improvements in the tonnage.

"We'll look at the fees and see if we can't reduce them. If we see improvements I know it will come up in next year's budget discussions," Mullane said.