Collection Center Committee — Minutes

Town of Rutland Collection Center Meeting Minutes June 23, 2025 2:00 p.m. 1. Call to Order and roll call. Present were Chairman Norm Arendt, Supervisor Jim Dorn. 2. Also present was Chester Ace (late), Supervisor Nedveck, and many residents were present and they are on the attached list. Representatives of John’s, GFL and Pelleteri were present. 3. Minutes of the May 22, 2025 which were previously informally approved were approved as submitted. Chair Arendt and Supervisor Dorn explained the purpose of this meeting and that everyone would be heard. The meeting was called to answer concerns expressed first by Doug Read and then by Gary Howard in letters questioning how the Town could help residents that have curbside pickup lower their costs. Appears that Waste Management charges a high fee and then reduces it when residents call in questioning the charges. Doug wanted to know if there was a way to make curbside pickup more economical for those that have it. Some residents questioned if we were closing the Collection Center and the committee and Supervisor Nedveck all said there are no plans of any kind to close the Center. Doug Read presented to the assembled group a chart (attached) that compared the curbside collection at neighboring towns. Doug presented three ideas to consider: Keep things as they are but figure out a more reasonable price for curbside with vendor. Need to find out more accurately how many residents have curbside pickup. Chester said he could go out and count homes with bins on a rainy day. A referendum on Townwide curbside pickup, but he said he did not favor that option. Some other questions came up for the committee to look at such as can vendors contract for specific neighborhoods, how to handle disabled residents with either curbside or the Collection Center options, the need to cleanup roads currently with debris that blows off collection trucks, and how to handle charges to residents who live here only part of the year. It was suggested that Doug be his own advocate and form a committee of residents that contract for service with Waste Management and negotiate their own contract. Most at meeting were opposed to curbside pickup or any changes to current conditions. Several mentioned the need for a night meeting. It was explained that to meet the needs of those that wanted the meeting we needed an afternoon meeting. 4. Two items were presented to the committee from the Collection center and they were taken under consideration. One involved people taking tomato cages that were dropped off near the metal bin and the other involved staffing at the Center. 5. Committee meeting adjourned at 3:31 p.m. 6. Next meeting will be at the call of the chair. Respectfully submitted Norm Arendt, Committee Chair