Rochester Town Administrator Michael McCue said complaints are still coming in about residents not following the new trash and recycling system method of curbside placement of trash, and the Rochester Board of Selectmen on June 15 wondered what future action should be taken if some residents continue to ignore the new rules for curbside waste disposal.
“There have been sporadic reports of very excessive additional trash bags in some locations on a weekly basis,” said McCue during a follow-up interview, “as well as obvious recyclables spilling out of trash bins.”
Residents were encouraged to recycle more to save the Town money on trash disposal with the addition of the 95-gallon recycling bins residents are asked to use for recyclable items rather than throwing them in with the regular trash.
McCue said the complaints range from public health issues to aesthetic issues as to “some of the stuff we’re seeing out in front of houses.”
“I ask the board to consider perhaps putting together a more specific policy as to pick-ups and as to the amount that can be picked up,” said McCue.
The town administrator said overall the new collection system has been a success but, as with anything, “You really don’t learn what kinds of bumps come up along the way until you hit those bumps.”
The board took no immediate action; rather, it preferred to collect more information over the coming weeks before considering repercussions for continuing to not follow the trash and recycling pick-up procedure.
“I think we got the word out there,” said McCue about initially informing the public about the new automated trash and recycling collection system. “I certainly would invite more comments on more of a global nature the residents of the Town of Rochester may have.”
The board also asked McCue to seek out an opinion from ABC Disposal, Inc. Operations Manager Jerry Dugan about how he views the progress of the new trash system.
“I think everything is going well, but, with anything, it needs a little tuning up,” said McCue.
Also during the meeting, selectmen accepted the resignation of the only two serving members on the three-member Rochester Personnel Board. The resignation of Kelly Sullivan-Morgado and David Ditata comes on the heels of a Town Meeting vote that rejected an article that would alter the step increases for employees covered under the Employee Compensation Plan. The Personnel Board assisted in creating the selectmen-recommended policy that voters rejected on June 8.
In other matters, Board of Selectmen Chairman Richard Nunes told the board his recent discussion with Comcast representatives over establishing live feed capability for the Town was unfruitful, at best.
Nunes said Comcast reps “did not like that option” when asked to split the cost of the project 50-50 with the Town, which would roughly total $16,000. Instead, said Nunes, Comcast insisted either ORCTV cover the cost of the live feed capability or the Town of Rochester. Nunes said a fair compromise would be for the Town and Comcast to split the cost evenly.
“Do we want it?” Nunes asked selectmen. “And if we do want it, how are we going to fund it?”
Selectman Bradley Morse said he needed more time to digest the information, and Selectman Naida Parker questioned whether live feed capability was necessary at all.
Nunes’ argument was that the Town could use the live feed to broadcast directly from the Police Station in the event of an emergency.
The next meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen is scheduled for June 29 at 6:30 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
By Jean Perry
