Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District

2014 budget and new rates approved

Tue, 01/15/2013 - 11:00am

The board of trustees passed a $1,510,770 budget for fiscal year 2014 for the Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District (BRRDD) with a municipal request of $1,014,270. This budget reflects a 2.27 percent increase over the current budget of $1,472,250.

BRRDD Superintendent Steve Lewis presented the breakdown for the four towns. For those figures, see Table A.

Lewis said his ultimate goal had been to keep the municipal request under one million.

“This is the first year I couldn't do it,” Lewis said. “I feel pretty comfortable with my figures this year.”

After a visit from Auditor Fred Brewer in December, Lewis saw how the district had under-budgeted in the past. “We can't keep taking from contingency,” Lewis said.

Lewis cited increases in medical insurance, retirement, workman's compensation and heating and fuel costs as reasons for the 2.27 percent increase.

Board members questioned the $13,000 allocated for overtime that included the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day. Lewis said it cost the district $1,000 to open on those holidays. Sometimes the district has closed on the Fourth. When open, a few haulers and pickers showed up and asked if it was worth the expense.

Trustee Chuck Cunningham suggested the board make a decision on the Fourth on a year-to-year basis.

Trustee Rob Hopkins noted that the last time the board had this discussion, Dan Giles of Giles Rubbish said the facility should be open. Giles picks up the refuse from local businesses, emphasizing how little trash storage space there is in Boothbay Harbor for restaurants. And he would have to store the trash in his trucks.

Trustee Gary Farnham said he thought Giles' fleet had increased, which might make it easier for him to hold on to the trash until 7 a.m. the day after these holidays.

The board decided to leave the overtime funds in the budget.

Auditor's report

Brewer's other findings: quarterly reports were not being filed, bank reconciliations were not up-to-date. As of the January meeting, Giles had everything corrected.

Collections

The Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District's new full-time treasurer, Anna Giles, has been converting figures into a Quick Books program. Anna Giles and Lewis have been working on collecting outstanding debts. Lewis estimates approximately $5,000, dating back to 2005 and 2006, will most likely be written off; some people have moved out of state, businesses no longer exist, etc. Out of a total of $29,000 outstanding as of June 30, 2011, $16,000 has been recovered. Giles replaces  Harold Orne who retired in December.

Rate increases

The board, with the exception of Chuck Cunningham who had left to attend the task force meeting, unanimously approved raising rates at the scale house. As of April 1, 2013, shingles, sheetrock and porcelain, currently $75 per ton, will be $80 per ton. All CDB (construction, demolition and bulky) loads, currently $100 per ton, will be $120 per ton.

GAT penalty

For the first time, Superintendent Steve Lewis had to inform the board the district fell short of its projected GAT (guaranteed annual tonnage), by 24 tons, to the 25-year-old PERC (Penobscot Energy Recovery Company) facility in Orrington.

PERC is comprised of 187 member and charter member towns in the state. The towns own 25 percent of the company; the remainder is privately owned.

The facility requires 300 tons of waste to operate at a level of 100 percent. Members reaching their GAT figure receive performance credits in the form of quarterly checks. Towns that do not meet their GAT pay a penalty.

Members like BRRDD currently pay $46 per ton to bring waste to Orrington. The penalty amount is the difference between the tipping fee ($74) and target tipping fee ($48); or $624.

“I hate to pay any penalty. Every year tonnage has gone down since 2005 – almost 1,000 tons,” Lewis said. “But, its still cheaper than going to one of the two landfills in the state where the tipping fee at the landfill is $78 and we pay $48. It's more there because you are taking up space. When you take it to PERC it is changed into energy.”

February meeting date change

Next month's meeting is being held one week early, on February 7 at 5 p.m. at the district office.