Solid Waste Committee Minutes - 2025-05-12

SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE - Meeting Minutes for 5/12/25

Present: Juliet Caplinger (Chair), Claire Ross, Milt Simon = Committee members Calvin Beaumier, Deborah Oliver = Town Representatives Phyliss Brannon, Catherine Curtis = Committee Applicants

Meeting called to order at 6:30 p.m. inside Eureka Community Center.

Meeting Minutes from 4/14/25 were approved.

Motion passed to remove Curtis Dimock as a committee member.

Presentation by Cassella Waste Management Municipal Account Manager Talya Bent. She reviewed 3 options the Town needs to consider prior to Casella’s switchover to automated trash pickup scheduled to start in July of 2026: (1) Town includes total cost of residential trash pickup in homeowners’ annual property taxes; (2) Homeowner’s property tax bill includes annual fee for use of two automated trash containers; (3) Residents are required to purchase town-authorized trash bags at either the Town Office or other approved locations (aka “pay-as-you- throw” program).

Calvin reviewed his discussion with AVCOG’s Environmental & Solid Waste Coordinator Kathryn Oak. He also shared handouts, provided by AVCOG, pertaining to (1) Maine Waste To Energy, located in Auburn; (2) Environmental Depot, located in Lewiston: (3) Riverside Recycling Facility, located in Portland.

Juliet stated that she would review the “Management Rules” handout provided by the Dept. of Environmental Protection and present highlights from the report at the committee’s next meeting.

Meeting adjoined at 8:10 p.m.

Respectfully submitted by Milt Simon