SPENCER – The town of Charlton is shopping for a new place to dispose of trash and they’re asking surrounding communities, including Spencer, to consider a partnership that would allow them to use the transfer station.
Spencer selectmen learned at their meeting Monday (Nov. 13, 2023) that about 200 residents in Charlton would need the service as a result of the impending closure of the fee-free dropoff in Oxford that residents have been using.
Casella Waste Systems has announced that the facility at 100 Leicester St., Oxford, will become a commercial enterprise with fees for disposal of trash.
Selectmen said they’d entertain the proposal but first wanted more information about a lawsuit pertaining to trash fees that was brought by a Charlton resident.
“I know there was a court action,” Selectman Gary Woodbury said, adding that he wanted to know exactly how the matter played out.
Town Administrator Jeff Bridges said he didn’t believe the matter was adjudicated because Charlton officials “changed the course of action on the fees they were going to levy.”
Still, Spencer selectmen said they want to see how the case played out before making a decision and asked Bridges to research the matter.
If Spencer officials agree to share the transfer station, Charlton residents would likely be required to buy a sticker and bags, as Spencer residents do, selectmen said.
The move wouldn’t change much at the transfer station.
“It’s not something we’d have to ramp up our services for,” Bridges said.
The board decided to table the matter until Bridges provides further information on the lawsuit, at which point they will revisit the discussion.
And Bridges says, ” “It’s not something we’d have to ramp up our services for,” Bridges said.” and he bases this on his extensive knowledge of Charlton trash system? Of course we will get folks from Charlton and no one can say with any degree of assurance that we won’t have a run on the station and maybe we won’t. Unfortunately Bridges has put us behind the 8 ball economically and is looking for anything to bail us out. Not sure this is the way to go without knowing the numbers that could be anticipated.