Mattapoisett’s Transfer Station will be a lot cleaner and it is presumed in better financial shape with a plan to modernize the recycling of mattresses.
Health Agent Gail Joseph laid out a presentation for the Board of Health members’ consideration during its January 26 meeting.
The board voted unanimously to accept and use the mattress and textile recycling programs, which were conditioned for placement.
“I feel that this is a really good proposal,” said Joseph.
Mattresses will no longer be disposed of in the station’s trash-disposal area but placed inside dedicated, watertight storage containers. When the containers are full, they will be removed; it is expected the containers will be hauled away a half-dozen times per year.
“We don’t have to worry about it, it eliminates all that extra trash in our dumpsters,” said Joseph.
Board of Health Chairman Carmelo Nicolosi said that Eric Dyson, the person who owns the recycling business that will work with Mattapoisett on the project is a native of the town and cofounded the business with his wife Debbie Dyson who serves as its president.
Nicolosi said the padding is removed from the mattresses and reused in various products. The high-grade steel coils can be sold and reused for manufacturing, and wood is processed and becomes wood-stove pellets. “It’s a good program,” he said.
Presently, the town charges $40 per mattress and pays $30, netting $10 in revenue. Board member Russ Bailey asked if disposing of a single mattress costs the same as a double.
While that answer was not immediately available, Joseph said that the proposed system will need to establish a schedule. She said that four mattresses came in during the January 17-21 week and seven early the following week. Under the new program, she said, the town will be able to track the amount.
“They take the hide-a-bed mattresses too,” said Joseph, stressing the opportunity to save the town money and keep the transfer station cleaner.
Textiles will also be recycled away from trash flow; cloth, fabric and rugs will no longer be allowed in dumpsters.
In a separate program free to Mattapoisett residents, Kingston-based Bay State Textiles will place two textile dumpsters at the transfer station, where stuffed animals, sneakers, shoes, flipflops, etc. will be placed. The company recycles them to manufacture rags while separating out nicer goods.
“They will pick up all of this stuff for us. They do all the sorting,” said Joseph. “They will pay us a fee percentage. The company will repurpose them; they will make their money on them, and they will pay us a percentage.”
Bailey suggested the town come up with some sort of educational program for residents.
Nicolosi said the board recently received a site plan for the proposed solar field at the transfer station so a redesign of the layout must take the solar plan into account. He said he will email the solar plans to Joseph.
The board members discussed the ground surface and its composition for bearing the weight that trucks will have going back and forth with storage containers.
While they were at it, the subject of “the Mattapoisett Mall” came up aka the metal pile. “That property belongs to the town of Mattapoisett. It’s okay if you need a little piece of metal to do something,” said Nicolosi, who would like to put a stop to the people taking the liberty of grabbing metals and selling them.
“I don’t want to take away the mall aspect of it,” said board member Ken Dawicki, who recalled a friend who was excited after finding a typewriter. “I don’t want to see that disappear.”
Nicolosi thinks with heightened awareness that transfer station attendants can spot the people looking to pick at the pile for profit on heavy metals and copper. They even cut the cords from appliances, he said.
Dana Tripp, the superintendent of Cushing Cemetery, appeared before the board to discuss the cemetery’s trash situation. “I’m willing to buy the sticker, no problem,” said Tripp, noting that the cemetery is a nonprofit run entirely by volunteers. He told the board that since the pandemic, the trend has been away from full burials in favor of cremations so revenue is down.
Given the frequency with which the cemetery needs cleanup, $20 was considered too much for a sticker but $5 is manageable, said Tripp. “I end up with barrels of stuff, plastic and metals to recycling,” he said.
It was determined that going forward, the cemetery can purchase a sticker and pay a $5 or $10 charge to deliver brush or leaves, the price depending on the size of the trailer and dispense of household trash at no charge.
Nicolosi thanked Tripp for his service to the community.
In relaying an update from Public Health Nurse Emily Field, who was working in the field at the time of the January 26 meeting, Nicolosi told the board that Covid cases have increased over the last couple of months and that Field was working with two staff nurses to help administer vaccinations and provide services including Covid tests.
Old Rochester Regional School Superintendent Mike Nelson contacted Field to let the town know that the state will be providing testing kits to ORR students for in-home testing at parents’ discretion. The doses are optional.
The board voted to raise the pay rate for registered nurses assisting Field from $25 per hour to $35 per hour. Citing the going rate up to $50 per hour, all three members consider the pay hike “reasonable.” The wages are funded by ARPA reimbursements.
Nicolosi followed up with an email to The Wanderer, explaining how the vaccination shots are funded.
He said that, as of October-November, 95 percent of age 65 and over Mattapoisett residents have been vaccinated. Field, with help from two paid assistant RN’s as well as a handful of qualified volunteers, have administered 550 primary doses of Moderna and 20 Johnson & Johnson, along with 250 Moderna booster shots.
“We are paid from insurance companies and Medicare/Medicaid a total of $90 per shot. However, we use an outside entity to prepare the required documentation, and the (Public Health nurse’s) office/Town of Mattapoisett receives $70 per administered dose,” wrote Nicolosi, computing 820 doses at $70 per means that the town anticipates receiving $57,400 shortly.
The board also voted to affirm Field as the town’s lead person on Covid matters, officially taking the mantle from Amanda Stone. Nicolosi said he would send Town Administrator Mike Lorenco a memo to confirm.
In the board’s review of the Health Department’s 2023 operating budget, Nicolosi told the board that Field scored very well in her performance review. While town employees will be receiving a 2 percent, cost-of-living raise but with potential merit increases, the board voted unanimously to reward Field with an additional, merit-based increase of $3,200 per year. The raise, which has to be sold to voters at Town Meeting, would bring her salary up to approximately $75,000 per year.
Bailey asked about what the public health nurses earn in Marion and Rochester. “We’re head and shoulders above the rest of the state,” Nicolosi said. “I think we have someone good in the position, and if we can keep her working with us long term, I think it would be an asset to the town.”
The department’s $1,800,000 FY23 budget is based on level funding. Between ARPA, the CARES Act and FEMA, Nicolosi said there is a source of funding that’s going to assist the nurse.
Joseph reported that Mattapoisett is in the process of procuring $9,800 in grant funding from the state Department of Public Health.
Dave Davignon appeared before the board to make a preliminary presentation on behalf of Jesse Mendes regarding his septic plans for a proposed three-bedroom home at Dupont Drive. The lot has never been developed. The idea was, before investing in survey work and perc tests, if the board would give the plan a vote of confidence.
Nicolosi stopped short of that, explaining that the board does not have the authority to issue that variance requested in a dwelling of that size without connection to town water supply. With a well and septic on the same lot, the state sets the minimum setback regulations. Dawicki agreed with Nicolosi’s stance.
Davignon was advised that with a design altered to two bedrooms, regulations would give the board the ability to vote on the requested waivers relative to the wetlands, but setback waivers would require a full application. Davignon said a two-bedroom plan was discussed.
Nicolosi recused himself from review and acceptance of Septic System Repair/Upgrade Plans for 10 Noyes Avenue. Dawicki acted as chair for the deliberation and vote, which was unanimous in its approval.
The next meeting of the Mattapoisett Board of Health is scheduled for Thursday, February 24, at 10:00 am at Town Hall.
Mattapoisett Board of Health
By Mick Colageo