Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District trustees Dec. 9 took their first look at the proposed Fiscal Year 23 budget. It calls for a 3.3% municipal request increase. Station Manager Steve Lewis provided the first draft of the proposed $2,071,140 budget, $144,219 more than the current year’s. The municipal request from member towns Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb and Southport is $1,478,140, a $47,719 increase.

Lewis told trustees the proposed budget included funds for an excavator and roll-off truck payments. Last year, trustees transferred $20,000 from Giles Rubbish to offset the transfer station’s operating budget, but this year, Lewis reported there wouldn’t be a similar contribution. 

Another budgeted change is for disposing of construction, bulky wast and demolition debris (CBD). Shingles will no longer be recycled and disposal costs will rise from $120 per ton to $160, according to the proposal. The first draft also calls for  “across the board” wage increases. The proposed budget also includes a $10,000 increase for capital replacements. 

In other action, Lewis reported he’d ordered the new roll-off truck for transporting disposal waste to either a landfill or biomass facility with expected delivery next fall. Trustees also authorized Lewis to buy a new trash truck for Giles Rubbish for up to $180,000. 

Lewis announced holiday hours would call for 8 a.m. to noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve with the transfer station closed for both Christmas and New Year’s Day.