Springfield region gets new trash deal

A new two-year contract for waste disposal for the 12 towns in the Southern Windsor/Windham Solid Waste Management District shows a 10 percent decrease, according to Forrest Randall, the group's chairman.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20100505/NEWS02/5050365/1003/NEWS02       # # # # Springfield region gets new trash deal  •  Rutland Herald  •  By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER - Published: May 5, 2010  •  SPRINGFIELD — A new two-year contract for waste disposal for the 12 towns in the Southern Windsor/Windham Solid Waste Management District shows a 10 percent decrease, according to Forrest Randall, the group's chairman.  •  But homeowners and business people shouldn't expect any savings in their pockets, officials said.  •  "It could, but I don't want you to hold your breath," Randall said.  •  Randall said the new contract with Casella Waste Management, which also does business as Gobin Disposal Systems, was less than the group's current three-year contract.  •  But Randall said he doubted the 10 percent decrease would result in a reduction in the disposal costs at the region's five transfer stations or even with private haulers. The transfer stations are operated by individual towns, with different levels of services and costs.  •  Some towns charge users a per-bag fee; Springfield weighs all garbage and charges 45 cents for four pounds of garbage, according to Springfield Town Manager Robert Forguites. That comes out about $1.80 per bag.  •  Randall said the contract with Casella expires on June 30, and it contains a clause to extend the contract for two years.  •  "We felt that the competitive situation of the solid waste business, we would be able to negotiate a lower price," he said.  •  He said the group considered extending the existing contract or going out to bid for a completely new contract. He said Casella agreed to negotiate with the district.  •  The five transfer stations affected by the reduction are in Springfield, Rockingham, Ludlow, Cavendish and Weathersfield.  •  Randall said the new tipping fee per ton of garbage was $65, compared to $75 in the old contract. He said the total tipping fee would include a $5 per ton fee for administrative costs and the $6 per ton state "franchise" fee.  •  The trash from the five transfer stations goes to the Gobin facility in Newport, N.H., where it is loaded onto bigger trucks, Randall said. Where it goes from there, he said, he didn't know.  •  "I only know by rumor, " he said, listing the Casella landfill in Moretown, as well as the Wheelabrator incinerator in Claremont, N.H., as the final resting place for the region's trash.  •  Until three years ago, the 12 towns were part of a two-state trash compact called the New Hampshire-Vermont Solid Waste Project, and their trash was burned at the Wheelabrator incinerator. But that project was dissolved at the end of 20 years of near-constant disagreements.  •  Forguites, who attended the district's annual meeting Thursday, said he doubted the cost of the trash coupons necessary to use the transfer station would be going down, despite the contract's reduction.  •  He said in the past the town had not increased the cost of the coupons or tickets despite increased costs.  •  "I don't expect that's going to change. We haven't adjusted up in the past," he said. Chester has an agreement with Springfield to use its transfer station and recycling center on Fairground Road.  •  The Vermont towns' district pays the Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission for administration and recycling programs, he said.  •