Select Board Meeting ~ February 24, 2026

2026-02-24 · Select Board · 2:23:39 · watch on YouTube →

The Select Board met on February 24, 2026. The agenda was reordered so that a presentation from Casella on the town's move to automated trash and recycling collection came first; Talia Webster, municipal account manager for Casella, described the cart rollout and answered about 45 minutes of questions on cart placement, winter set-out, replacements and recycling contamination. The board then took department head reports, voted on the purchase of a new front-end loader for public works, and approved the first increase to ambulance transport rates since 2023. Sitting as the board of assessors, it approved a tax abatement of $5,463 on a property whose house had been demolished without a permit. Board member reports covered pay-as-you-throw, which the board agreed to open to public discussion and decide on March 10, a possible review of permit and planning fees, a legal question about filling a budget committee vacancy, and concern about shortfalls on several revenue lines. The meeting closed with a motion to enter executive session on a personnel matter.

No written minutes could be matched to this meeting. The transcript records that the speaker changed but never who was speaking, so any name attached to a statement below is inferred from context and is marked (?).

What was discussed

1. 7:11
   Call to order, agenda amendment, public comment, minutes

   The chair called the meeting to order at 6:30 with a quorum and moved the Casella item up to the first order of new business so the company's representative would not have to wait. The chair noted the discussion tonight was about trash pickup only, and that the bag (pay-as-you-throw) discussion involves a separate company and will come at a future meeting. No public comment was offered at the opening, and the previous meeting's minutes were approved.

2. 7:11
   Casella automated collection: rollout timeline

   Talia Webster identified herself as municipal account manager for Casella and walked through a timeline agreed with Jerry and Calvin. Carts are ordered, distribution is expected to take about a week beginning in early April with extra days for cleanup, and the first day of automated collection is Wednesday the 15th. Distribution is handled by a third-party company working from the town assessor list, with multi-units identified and businesses removed.

3. 12:12
   Cart description, road evaluation and placement

   Each household gets two 65-gallon wheeled carts, black lid for trash and blue lid for recycling. Casella has driven every road in town to classify it as drive-down, back-down or group pile, and will send letters ahead of time to residents on roads where placement changes; the evaluation list will be given to the town to post on its website. Asked about Routes 125, 136 and Route 9, where a board member noted a pedestrian fatality last year and narrow shoulders, Webster (?) said those should be collected on both sides so residents do not have to cross the road.

4. 22:49
   Cart replacement, app, and cart size

   Casella manages the cart program: damaged, missing or stolen carts are replaced at no cost to the resident or the town, with a stated turnaround of seven to ten business days. Carts are barcoded to an address at delivery. All carts ordered are 65 gallon; asked about elderly residents finding them unwieldy, Webster (?) asked residents to try them for two weeks before requesting a smaller cart, and said the contract provides one trash and one recycling cart per household with no extras.

5. 28:07
   Cart weight, overflow and recycling contamination

   Carts weigh about 28 pounds empty. Webster (?) asked that lids be closed, that no more than one extra bag be stacked on top, and that trash overflow not be put in the recycling cart. Drivers have a camera in the hopper and can report repeat problems, but continuous recycling-monitoring technology would be an added cost.

6. 33:16
   Pay-as-you-throw enforcement, liability and collection days

   Asked whether drivers can police pay-as-you-throw bag compliance, Webster (?) said drivers will report what they notice but cannot be relied on as enforcement. Casella will repair or replace mailboxes, fences and other property its automated arm damages, and such damage goes to a separate complaint queue. A board member noted the draft mailer showed Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday pickup; Webster (?) said that was a draft error and no resident's collection day changes.

7. 38:28
   Winter set-out, snowbanks and reach of the arm

   A board member questioned whether the material's 6 a.m. set-out time matches the contract's 7 a.m.; Webster (?) said she would confirm the route start time with her operations manager. Residents were advised to keep a cleared spot for carts as they would for a mailbox; the arm reaches up to about 12 feet, carts can be placed on either side of a driveway, and Casella has cart-placement videos on its YouTube channel that the town can post.

8. 48:58
   Wrap-up, resident comment and communications plan

   Carts will carry a brochure tied to the handle at delivery, and a mailer goes out ahead of time. The board confirmed carts arrive starting April 6 with the first automated pickup April 15, and that residents with cart problems should call Casella rather than the town office. A resident was allowed to comment, asking about narrow driveway frontage; the chair said he will produce a written FAQ and an informational video for the town website and Facebook page.

9. 53:58
   Department head reports

   Under a new format, department heads submit written reports in advance and attend the last meeting of the month for questions. The board thanked Calvin and the public works crew for a difficult winter while short-staffed, and noted compliments received from neighboring towns.

10. 59:26
    Purchase of a front-end loader for public works

    Calvin, with Ron present for technical questions, explained why the highlighted bid was not the lowest: better visibility, backup radar and camera, more torque with about 20 percent less fuel use, ground-level service access, and a design that flushes salt out of the cab. The current 2012 loader has a rotted cab; a repair quote was given as $60,000, itemised as roughly $48,000 for the cab and $10,000 for engine work, and the machine has about 4,500 hours. New quotes ranged from about $178,000 to $190,000, below the roughly $264,000 budgeted, using Sourcewell government pricing, and the purchase comes from capital reserve rather than a bond.

11. 1:09:58
    Ambulance rate review

    The fire chief presented a comparison of Durham's transport rates against surrounding CommStar client communities, noting rates have not changed since 2023. He recommended BLS emergency and non-emergency at $850, ALS1 at $1,025 and ALS2 at $1,500, described as increases of about 21, 21, 19 and 42 percent, with mileage left at $22 (the recommendation sheet showed 21). He explained the BLS, ALS1, ALS2 and non-emergency categories.

12. 1:15:10
    How ambulance billing works

    For the finalized year July 2024 to June 2025 the department made about 200 transports, all in, including mutual aid. Insurers pay an allowable amount rather than the full charge; Blue Cross collections ran about 94 percent, Medicare and Medicaid about 50 percent, and the balance can go to a collection service. Roughly $127,000 came in and goes to undesignated funds rather than to the fire department; the chief said no Durham resident has been sent to collections.

13. 1:25:32
    Possible Pownal transport contract and uncharged services

    The chief said Durham has been approached about covering half of Pownal's roughly 100 medical calls, split with North Yarmouth, with about $15,000 offered to sign; it is preliminary and any contract would come to the board. He also noted the department does not charge for lift assists, non-transport evaluations, extrications, traffic control or hazardous material cleanups, and the board asked him to bring back a package on what could be charged for.

14. 1:40:55
    Board of assessors: tax abatement

    The board convened as the board of assessors to consider an abatement for a property where the house had been demolished without a permit, so the town was unaware until the owner received a tax bill. The demolition permit fee is $50 and the doubled penalty would be $100, which the board noted can only realistically be collected when the owner applies to build again.

15. 1:46:04
    Overlay discussion and start of board member reports

    Members discussed that abatements come out of the overlay and that the board has consistently chosen a tight mill rate, with the chair suggesting this be kept in mind when setting the next overlay. The town manager reported nothing. The chair reported on a GPCOG meeting Thursday that he and Rebecca will attend, and on the volume of emails received about pay-as-you-throw, which he will answer after tonight's meeting.

16. 1:51:24
    Permit and fee review; budget committee vacancy

    The chair asked for a future agenda item to review permits and fees, last done in 2024, against surrounding communities and the rising cost of the planner and code enforcement officer. John (?) noted the town charges nothing for amendments to site plans or plats even where the work is substantial. Separately, town legal counsel advised that under 30-A the select board may act on vacancies on boards other than the select board and school board; whether to fill the budget committee vacancy is set for discussion next meeting.

17. 1:56:28
    Pay-as-you-throw: public discussion and decision date

    Members discussed how to take public input on pay-as-you-throw, whether at a separate workshop or as a dedicated section of a regular meeting with back-and-forth allowed. They settled on the March 10 meeting, which will also include the first read of the budget and the school superintendent, and agreed to publicise it in advance. Deb (?) asked that the math be put on paper in the agenda package; the chair said the attorney is still reviewing the bag contract, which has not been signed.

18. 2:12:01
    Town meeting participation and revenue shortfalls

    John (?) raised a resident suggestion to split the town meeting from the ballot vote on budget and land use items, noting the town's future is being decided by roughly 180 people; the chair said that cannot change for 2026 but could be considered for 2027, possibly with a straw poll. John also flagged apparent shortfalls on several revenue lines in the financials received that afternoon and asked for them to be reviewed properly at a future meeting rather than rushed.

19. 2:17:14
    Town meeting date, consent agenda and upcoming meetings

    Asked about complaints that town meeting falls on the same day as Freeport graduation, the chair said the voters set that date at town meeting knowing the conflict and he did not want to override them with a special town meeting. The consent agenda was approved and the meeting was extended for timekeeping. Upcoming meetings listed: open space planning event February 26 at the Eureka Center, planning board and another committee March 4, solid waste committee March 9, select board March 10, and a public hearing on proposed land use ordinance changes March 18.

20. 2:22:23
    Recording the open space meeting; executive session

    A member asked whether the open space/conservation commission meeting could be recorded; it was said the group is already planning to record it and the board supported that. The board then moved into executive session on a personnel matter.

What was decided

• 7:11
  Amend the agenda to move the Casella item to the first order of new businesspassed
• 7:11
  Approve the minutes of the previous meeting; motion by Deb, seconded by Johnpassed
• 1:04:46
  Purchase the new 2026 Volvo L70H front-end loader for public works; motion by John, seconded by Josh. The chair called for votes and asked for opposition, seeing none, but the transcript does not record the result being announced.outcome unclear
• 1:35:44
  Increase ambulance rates to $850 for BLS emergency and non-emergency, $1,025 for ALS1 and $1,500 for ALS2, leaving mileage at $22, as highlighted in the chief's recommendation; motion by Josh, seconded by Debpassed
• 1:40:55
  Convene as the board of assessorspassed
• 1:46:04
  Approve a property tax abatement of $5,463 for a house demolished without a permit; motion by John, seconded by Joshpassed
• 1:46:04
  Exit the board of assessors and return to the select board meeting; the transcript records the vote being called but not the resultoutcome unclear
• 2:17:14
  Approve the consent agendapassed
• 2:17:14
  Extend the meeting until 9:30; the transcript records the vote being called but not the resultoutcome unclear
• 2:22:23
  Enter executive session on a personnel matter, cited as 405(6)(A); the transcript records the vote being called but not the resultoutcome unclear

An outcome reads "unclear" where the recording does not state it plainly. The recogniser drops short words, and "the motion does not carry" is one missing word from its opposite.

Worth knowing

• 48:58
  Cart delivery begins April 6 and the first automated pickup is April 15. Collection days do not change, replacement carts are free to the resident and the town, and residents with cart problems are asked to call Casella rather than the town office.
• 1:30:34
  Ambulance rates had not been raised since 2023. The chief said Durham's highest current rate is $970 against $4,200 among the highest CommStar clients, and mileage is $22 against $43 elsewhere; he also said no Durham resident has been sent to collections, and that non-transport calls such as lift assists remain free where other departments charge about $150.
• 2:01:41
  On pay-as-you-throw, the chair calculated that giving each household 26 bags, at roughly 1,600 households and $1.80 a bag, would be about $75,000 against roughly $125,000 projected from bag sales, and that any bags given out are made up through taxes. The board agreed to hear public feedback and decide on March 10.
• 2:12:01
  John (?) reported apparent revenue shortfalls in the financials received that afternoon, citing figures of about $400,000 on motor vehicle and state revenue sharing, $220,000 on homestead and $112,000; the transcript does not clearly assign each figure to a line. He asked for the item to be added to a future agenda.

Motion language found in the transcript

Located by pattern matching, with no model involved: "I move that", "I'll second", "all those in favour". This is an independent check on the summary above: 9 passages of motion language, against 10 decisions summarised.

Elsewhere

← 2026-02-10 Select Board2026-03-10 Select Board →All meetings