Marion Selectman John Waterman is looking forward to the day when he can finally go about his business in the center of Marion without somebody coming up to him complaining about trash pickup.
On August 7, the Marion Board of Selectmen discussed the tough transition the town has experienced since it swapped its municipal run curbside collection for a contract with a private trash collector, Waste Management.
Waste Management took over Marion’s trash and recycling routes on August 1, but the service has been inconsistent. Entire routes were not being fully completed according to the established schedule, which has resulted in confusion and frustration for residents left wondering when their bins will be emptied.
After months of interrupted curbside collection and recurring mechanical problems with the town owned trash truck, the board was hopeful that the town’s trash woes would end when Waste Management took over. Instead, as Waterman put it, “Trash still seems to be a mess.”
Waterman kicked off the conversation, saying, “I walk around town … and everyone has their trash cans and recycling sitting out almost every day because they haven’t a clue when it’s going to be picked up.”
Town Administrator Jay McGrail said the new service was experiencing some “growing pains,” and he has been in contact with Waste Management on a near daily basis.
“What’s happening is they’re not finishing routes,” explained McGrail. For example, he said, Waste Management has had to finish the regular Monday route on Tuesday, only completing about half of the regular route in one day. “[Waste Management] underestimated the amount of material that they’re collecting.”
August is one of the busiest seasons for solid waste disposal in Marion, said McGrail, and Waste Management is having difficulty keeping up with the demand.
According to McGrail, the truck has been filling up faster at points throughout the route, forcing the truck to abandon the route to unload and then return to resume trash collection.
“Somehow we need to get back to a regular schedule,” said McGrail, “even if we change it to a day and a half…”
Although communication between Town Hall and Waste Management has been consistent, McGrail said, Waterman was concerned that communication to the public is lacking.
“People are confused,” said Waterman. “There needs to be some communication to the public so they know when to put [trash] out rather than just leaving it out.”
Some residents, unsure of when their trash would be picked up, have resorted to leaving their bins out on the curb “all week,” Waterman said.
McGrail admitted he was unsure about what the town could do to mitigate the “chaos” short-term as Waste Management works out the details.
“It’s total confusion now,” said Waterman.
Chairman Randy Parker said he would prefer to see Waste Management split up the routes into a day-and-a-half schedule if needed rather than leave routes incomplete at the end of their scheduled days.
McGrail said he is confident Waste Management will eventually find the pace it needs to complete the routes on time.
“They just needed a little bit of time and patience,” said McGrail. “They’re honestly trying. It’s not for lack of effort.”
Meanwhile, the town’s trash truck has been up and running and assisting Waste Management on some routes, supplementing missed stops as needed.
Waterman said hopes that once Waste Management begins using its automated trucks for trash collection that route completion will become easier and timelier.
“I want to walk to the post office without somebody complaining about their trash pick-up,” said Waterman.
“We’ll get there,” Parker said. “It’s brand new.”
The Board of Selectmen is hosting an informational public forum on the new curbside trash and recycling service on Wednesday, August 14, at 6:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall. Those with questions or concerns should attend.
Marion Board of Selectmen
By Jean Perry