Disposal fees for construction, bulky waste and demolition debris will cost more in the next fiscal year. The Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District Trustees voted unanimously Jan. 10 to increase CBD fees from 6 cents per pound to 7 cents. This is the first CBD increase in over seven years at the local transfer station, according to Operations Manager Steve Lewis.

Trustees approved the increase to offset increased costs for operating the transfer station. In Lewis’ original budget draft, the municipal request showed an $81,000 increase. The CBD increase, which takes effect March 1, increases district revenue resulting in a smaller contribution from Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb and Southport taxpayers.

The higher fee results in fees rising from $120 per ton to $140. “The municipal request is up almost 4 percent. Without it, the increase would’ve been about 6 percent,” Lewis said. “If recycling revenue hadn’t dropped, then the municipal request would’ve remained flat.”

Lewis reported recycling fees began dropping in the early part of 2018 when the Republic of China stopped importing from the American recycling market. In past years, the district collected around $60,000 in recycling revenue. In FY 18, the district collected only $30,000, and Lewis expects, in FY2020, to receive less than $20,000 from recyclables.

Trustees also approved the FY 20 operating budgets for the transfer station and Giles Rubbish, Inc.  Trustees approved a $1,722,590 transfer station operating budget which is up from the current FY’s $1,669,260. For the district’s garbage collection service, Giles Rubbish, Lewis expects a $30,000 profit. Trustees approved a $781,843 operating budget for the district’s first fiscal year operating the Boothbay business.

“We’re on track to make a profit, but this is just a projection, and we will know better after we’ve run it for a full year,” he said.

In other action, Trustees bought a $45,000 Isuzu box truck from Daigle & Houghton of Hermon. The truck will be used for Giles Rubbish’s trash and recycling operation. The new truck replaces a 2007 Isuzu box truck, and is slightly larger. The new truck has an 18-foot box compared to a 16-foot box for the older one. Trustees will finance the purchase through a $45,000 loan for three years at 3.05 percent interest from the First National Bank.

Trustees meet next at 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 in the district business office in Boothbay.