On Thursday, May 30, 2024, at what may go down as the shortest town meeting in history (just three minutes long!), the town voted to transfer $45,000 from the Service District Savings Fund to 85-850-4125, otherwise known as the Trash & Recycling Removal line item.
The Service District Commission deemed the move necessary to help defray the increasing costs associated with trash removal. The town signed a new contract for trash and recycling removal that was effective July 2023. In 2022, trash pickup costs $7.04/unit, and recycling pickup costs $4.65/unit. Now, the costs are $10.19/unit and $5.09/unit, respectively. A unit represents a household.
Taking the funds out of savings allowed the town to keep the same mill rate (2.78) for the Service District.
Just six people attended the meeting, including First Selectman Bill Morrison, Town Clerk Karen Troiano, Selectman Rick Hartenstein, Assistant CFO Erin Dunn Milnes, CFO John Lund, and myself. While there were other items on the posted agenda, no action was taken.