Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District (BRRDD) is again having issues with its bills from the Boothbay Fuel Depot. At an Oct. 8 meeting, Operations Manager Will Johnson said they hadn't received a bill since May, and the June invoice was meant to go into last fiscal year’s budget. There were also questions about whether there was a locked-in fuel price or not.  

“We have no idea what we're paying because we haven't got bills,” said Johnson.  

Earlier this year, the district received months’ worth of blank fuel bills with estimated totals but no line items. The problem was eventually resolved. 

In a post-meeting interview, Boothbay Town Manager Dan Bryer explained that the town previously had a two-year contract for fuel prices that unfortunately ran out just before the war in Iran began. On advice, Bryer hasn’t locked in a new price due to the extreme fluctuations.  

Bills are taking longer to produce because Bryer must cross-reference the dates with the delivery rate at the time.  

“I’ve been trying to watch the markets just to see if there is going to be an opportunity, but it doesn't seem to be there ... I think this is going to be a really tough winter.”  

In other business, board members unanimously approved the $11,500 purchase of two hook body cans for Giles Rubbish. While the expense was budgeted, it needed board approval because it was over $10,000.

BRRDD was successfully certified to burn its demo chips (demolition debris ground into small wood chips) in Livermore Falls’ landfill. As reported in the Register, the district had been sending the chips to Canada but had to turn to alternate locations after failing to meet new, stricter standards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. So far, the district has sent 15 loads of demo chips, totaling 376 tons, with more left to go.