RUSSELL – Residents will find their trash can be costly this year.
Late last year the Russell Board of Selectmen approved an increase in transfer station stickers from $30 to $35 and a late fee of $20 for residents who purchase stickers after March 1. Board Administrative Assistant Nancy Boersig said the stickers are good for a calendar year and are sold beginning the first day of business in January.
“We found people keep running on their old sticker until they were kind of forced to get a new one,” said Boersig. “We were selling them year-round and it was too much.”
Now, residents will pay $55 for the sticker if they do not purchase one before March 1. Boersig said the late fee would not apply to new residents or residents who have never used the transfer station because they had private trash disposal.
The reason for the $5 increase is fuel cost increases for hauling trash and recycling. Boersig said the town only pays for hauling recyclables, but pays both for hauling and disposing of regular trash.
“We encourage people to recycle because it saves the town money, and it saves residents money because they don’t need to buy bags or stickers for recyclables,” said Boersig.
A list of accepted recyclables is on the town website, www.townofrussell.us.
Last year, the town switched its trash policy from purchased plastic trash bags to trash stickers. In he past, residents were required to buy bags from the town for $1 each. Now, residents can purchase trash stickers at a cost of $20 for 25 stickers and use trash bags of their choice.
“We found before that a lot of people used their own bags anyway, then put them inside the town bags, so this will save them money,” said Boersig.
Russell receives about $3,000 per year for its recyclables. However, its transfer station budget is $65,000 per year.
“The revenue from bags and stickers comes to about one-third of the cost of the station,” Boersig said.
The transfer station is open Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m., Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., and Sundays from 12-5 p.m.
