Afternoon everyone. Uh this is the rate review committee meeting. Today is September 23rd, 2025. This meeting of the air rate review committee will be held in person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend this in-person
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Okay. All right. First up is the meeting minutes of September 9th, 2025. Anybody have any uh >> I listen just one clarification on um H2
paragraph 7 where it says BT advised in fiscal 20 times that we used 36,996 in retained earnings and in fiscal 26 we budgeted to use none. versus
>> however you >> versus um I just noted that Andy Love is listed as an attendee and also is absent. >> So he was here. Yeah. >> Anything else? I didn't see anything.
>> No. >> Okay. So, I'll make a motion that the minutes be approved as amended. >> Second. All those in favor? Okay. We'll get those amendments done. All right.
For now, we're going to look at the review and discussion of the solid waste uh and transfer station rate options. >> Okay. Does everyone have the memo I sent out? >> Yes. >> Let's review that. back up.
>> Yeah. Go back and then go to >> We're going to bring up the memo. >> The memo. Yeah. All right. All right. So, very similar to past year's memos. So, I start out by
calculating um the required revenue from permit stickers and bag sales. and that's shown in the initial table on the first page of the memo. So the budget for FY26 573,000
roughly um and we need to cover that between the tax levy revenue which we have 200 that's that's you know general fund subsidy 249,783 and there's other revenue sources which we anticipate
um and a big chunk of that's the solar 28 62. So subtracting those revenue sources from the budget, we get 294,628, which means the AIM
to obtain that revenue from permit stickers and payroll bags. That's essentially all page one. Page two, this is for the committee's information.
The recent trends in bag sticker sales. The top is um transportation permit sales. They've been slowly overall slowly going down. Um but you know, it's
relatively it's close. And then the bag sales pretty pretty even there. Um has, you know, gone up a little since FY22 and we had a slight dip last from 24 to 25. Just the trends that we are having in
our sales of those two items. And then the next page, page three, is the various rate scenarios we've we've done in the past. We've done we've looked at in the past. Last year, we put together a lot more, so I kept them in there. And um and that's in comparison
to the sales revenue needed from the stickers and bags. So basically I take we take the bag sale trends and the sticker sale trends of the past three years and project that for FY 20 or calendar year 26 and then we we see okay
what do we need to to get for um you know rate that would get us to the 294,000 number. So, if we stick with the current rates, the first item, we would be looking at a deficit of about 23
almost $2,400. And then there's various scenarios that we looked at increasing all the permits $5. Your second row, increasing only what we call the regular permit, that's the non non senior, not the second
sticker per um $5. And you know, most scenarios here are getting us into the surplus, um, which is what we want to see. So, we cover the 294,000. Um, there's a handful that do not. Um, so maybe before we get into a deep
discussion on those, if I finish going through the memo, there's some more information here for us to consider before we talk rates. Um, important notes, we mentioned this back. sales tend to be trends are relatively flat compared to recent years and sticker
sales have slowly gone down. Um so this downward trend lowers the projection of the permit sticker sales revenue in the model or selling less stickers. I'm not going to get FY26 solid waste budget. It's higher than FY25 by only approximately $4,000.
There's a mix of reductions in there from the wages because we we have we no longer have the night hours of Wednesdays, but a slight increase for solid waste removal per contract and um and there was an item for a DPW union punch block that needs to be replaced.
So, some minor expenses, minor change, $4,000 increase from last year's budget. Page four, um some notable factors impacting the transfer station rates and these are kind of a repeat of last year.
Our contracts are a big factor for the hauling and disposal of solid waste and recycling. Um the recycling commodities market has been more favorable in past years. So we're paying less per discarded recycling
odd way to say it but discard recycling. Um general cost increases due to inflation and that that you know it always depends how much the tax how much general fund subsidy and how much retained earnings are used. um that will impact how much revenue we need from
current stickers and bag sales. So the chart on this page is showing our waste disposal cost over time and our recycling cost over time since FY17 and you can see it jumped up a lot and and I think our our um permit sticker
and bag rates sort of reflect this increase in cost. Our largest costs are are disposal and hauling for um salt waste and recycling. Um next would be wages. So So these really impact um the budget significantly when these go up.
So you can see over the green bar here, recycling has leveled off gone down in the last couple fiscal years. So that's really helped. And um seems that solid waste is leveling up a high peak. Um, page five, this is just for the
committee's info as we look at potential rate increases. These are the last times in the history that the committee has increased rates. Actually going back to FY1, so a long history. Um, the top chart is the bag um, pays you for bag
increases. That was last done in FY22. I think was start mid fiscal year that was done and they were raised to the current rates by4 and $3 per bag and the bottom chart is the stickers the
current stickers and so the last time a raise was done was for the regular sticker we call it to $105 network is where it sat since FY23 you can see senior sticker has not been
raised FY20 second permit since FY19. >> So approximately three years. >> Yeah, it would be three. Yeah. And then we I always keep a private hauler comparison. So Prime Disposal, they're the least expensive hauler I found
around and they um their current rates are shown here on the last page. And it would cost about $588 per year if you have a 64gallon trash recycling bins. And then you could get the larger one. These are weekly pickups to 96
gallon for 648 per year. Note that is an increase from last year's rates that Prime had. So they increased their rates. They were $45 a month to 49. They were $50 a month to 54 for the 64 96 gallon. Um, and then the transfer
station um cost if somebody would use the transfer station instead. I I use my my own example. I have a family of four, two kids, two adults, and we use a medium bag per week. And this is what it would cost me if I were using
the transfer station about 365 per year compared to the roughly 600 a year prime. So that's the memo in a nutshell. I think probably the next step will be to go back for the rate scenarios and
>> the problem with the deficit or surplus that's based on a half year or is that based on a full year sales? I know we have you note down below that it'll only be for half the year this year when we get the
>> um the calculation I wonder >> this is yeah really we haven't changed the bag prices in several years so it really doesn't have much of an impact on those but the permit sales we anticipate getting significant if not all the
permit sales >> those Fiscal year 26. Yeah. January to June. We don't sell too many after that. >> So it's really really reflects the permanent sales. >> To make sure I understood what said
because the bag prices wouldn't go into effective. We've always had it on July 1st. >> Permit prices. >> So we we would have to make a change as to when we change the bag prices. Yeah,
>> we always do the permit prices. >> Permit or calendar year, but the bag I think you could kind of do it in time, >> right? But no, what I was saying is that that's what we've been doing. We've always had it, you know, July 1st. So that school year. >> Yeah. Um
>> because, you know, I don't think it would be a good idea to do it in January when Christmas. That would be really bad for >> So the bags are usually at the beginning of a fiscal year. >> Yeah, that's usually that's usually what we've done. >> Just so I can understand this. So we
haven't had a change in a few years. >> I know. So I mean that's I mean he's correct. We can we can change it, you know, how I'm just pointing out that's the way it's been done, you know, so that at least we know how it's been before we go to make make any changes or
something. Um, excuse me, J. >> Yes. >> And real quick on the bag prices. Um, you have in your little example $5 for medium bags. I don't have a chart
page five. It looks like $4 for medium bag. >> So, in your example, you say one medium bag per week is $5 per bag. But then on the charge the recent writing. Yeah.
Or am I misreading that? >> No, you're reading that right. But I actually think there's an error to the chart. I think is four, five, six. The bags are 456.
>> Yeah, the example is correct. >> All right. So, it's four. >> It is 456 then. >> So, the chart is off, right? This all should be shifted up one. >> I'll correct that. So, good catch.
Thank you. So I thank you. You you as far as the bag increase 50 cents. I appreciate the fact that you you know looking at a smaller increment number for our conversation last time instead of just doing it constantly.
You know, we've been doing it always in the big amounts and everything which I understand why. you know, it's not a a wise move, but at the same time, you know, doing a smaller increment to see where that puts us. >> Yeah. I think and couple things dealing
with change is a little difficult at when we have change like 50 cent increments, but I think leaving it I left it pretty vanilla like this with $5, $10. And then if we wanted to look at finer green, you know, do some live
model check. But that's what >> So if somebody goes to the DPW to buy their bags, they're paying cash. >> Some are you can pay cash. You can um or you can pay with a a check. >> Do we have like a a Venmo or something
that people could do it that way? Then you don't have to worry about change. >> We don't have a Venmo. We do do credit but >> is it >> I don't know if that's something that we could
>> create. I don't know how that works. >> So if you for anybody who's has the ability to set online payments there's PayPal, credit card, ehat but I'm not I'm trying to recall
you don't have I don't believe you have a online sales. >> You don't have an online sale per bag. >> Well, no, but I'm saying is I mean Venmo is a is the cousin to PayPal. >> Yeah. >> You know, somebody could come in and they're buying their bags and due to the
50 cent increase if it was to go with that odd amount, >> they just do that QR code. >> I can look into it. Hasn't isn't something that's offered by the online provider yet, but I can ask questions. Yeah. I mean worth asking because you
know people are getting away from cash too. So >> um >> and this is for in person, >> right? Yeah. >> Um and that's that's like a direct too, you know, as far as you know, boom, you've got the money right away.
>> So there is advantage to it on for for everybody I think. So I but I don't know how it works municipality wise. So yeah that >> but PayPal works >> I know PayPal was recently added by our online provider as an option when they go online and
there is an option where it's called quick pay. So if you had a computer say we have one at the counter somebody comes and wants to pay using their credit card or PayPal we do it through the computer this quick pay
link so I can see about that too. >> Um, on that idea, do we have a handle on are most bags sold at DPW or like I buy
my bags at all? I think the local supermarkets or another place. >> I don't have data with me on it, but anecdotally, it's mostly from the third party vendors. >> Okay. which is where you can use
>> I assume I use my credit card. >> Yeah, you can. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I was just curious in general about that. >> Yeah. So, this is only for purchasing they can't manage their acceptance. >> Well,
now that I'm thinking about it kind of we're segue in a little bit, but I'm just going to segue a little bit. If if a Venmo were then we could look into um being able to sell stuff like the
transportation because there would be no cash just kind of rounding up that conversation a little bit for conversation and look into it. So anyways um okay back to the
>> so easy kind of get off. So if we were to decide a bag increase at the 50 cents that would we'd be fine. No, we'd be still a little bit under. >> We'd be fine. Bag increase 50 cents.
Then we're about 2,221. $2,221 above what we need. >> Oh, above. Okay, now read the Okay, I was reading the chart wrong. >> Okay. Um, okay. So, that's something to
um to consider. Okay. And now for the permit increase, you kept it at, you know, like $5 increments, correct? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, I could do some on the fly if we
want to do like a $3 or something and then we get nitty-gritty. But, right, just in general, you look at it permit. So you look at the one that's $5 regular $5 senior Z. Um to the second sticker that would get you at about 3,487
above what we need which gives a little comfort and and is kind of thinking for the future rather than doing a small increase now versus a much larger one later type of thing
for consideration. How many how many permits on the second permit >> you think? So yeah 120 to 130. permit. The second permit on 30.
>> Yeah, it's 30. $30. >> Yeah, it's been that way since FY9. >> Yeah, I got a second sticker in my household. Didn't realize it was just >> Okay. Um, that would be something to consider. Hold on. That would be
something to consider is is doing on the second permit. um an increase because I I'm I like I said I got two permits at my household. So the second permit is only $30.
I think that would be something. >> Yes. I was away the last week so I had the car with the sticker. So, this secondary second permit would be useful for my wife's car. Is that what >> Yes. >> Okay. I was just get a feel for why
people have second permit. >> Yes. My husband's traveling. I could still get to the transfer station because I've got a permit. >> Okay. >> Good to know for that. >> So, because my workshop has it right. >> Yeah.
So that's something to consider. >> Oh, okay. No, I thought there um >> there is one scenario where it's 50 and five. So, it's no increase on the senior
disc senior sticker because only raising the second sticker probably wouldn't add up to a whole lot. There's so few of them being sold. >> Um, and so the 50 and five is just over
$1,700 in the which isn't bad. >> Yeah. senior right now. >> 605, right? >> Yeah. >> 60 for the senior 30.
>> Hey, Barbara, maybe I'll try again. Put on the gear. I have I have a couple >> and I just ran second. >> Well, I think we definitely could definitely Yeah.
>> Do we have anyone zooming? >> I just want to make sure that the person zooming in, you can still see the screen. Um well another option to consider again this is just conversation
purposes. I know you have like a permit increase. You have one of the scenarios is 505 or 55. >> I think that the second permit could go up five. That's a problem. >> Yeah. But as far as the other two, instead of
doing one is five, you can do $2 for each one or something. Slow increment on on everything. Again, conversation. >> Yeah. you know,
>> I think it's a a reasonable, you know, it's not too much of a shot because we can sit here and think that it it doesn't say a lot, but you know, as far versus purchasing it could be, you know, so um
and that way it's just a slow increase, but we're still achieving what needs to be achieved. technology not working. Okay. I think I mean I can verbally let you know what it is. All right. But I did um I did run the $2 or no I
ran the second permit $5 only. say that's the only change we do. We'd still be in a deficit if you in the red it was about $1,742 >> for what again? >> The second sticker. >> Uhhuh. >> At $5 increase. That's the only If you
only do that, so like Kimberly said, we don't sell too many. So it doesn't make a huge dent in it, >> right? It's about $600 better. It might take a minute. >> Well, if we move it, what if we did two, two, and
>> yeah, get this. Anything else? system would just be permanent. >> Well, that's what we're talking about at the moment. Yes. >> Sorry. It has a delay. It takes a little bit to >> So, yeah. So,
if I can get back in about where it's at, but we could I can try to run it on the fly now or I can run it again. So 225. >> Yeah, it's on the permits. >> So
we have something similar. I'm sorry, what? >> 055 >> 055. >> Oh, right. So, zero for the regular permit and then five for the senior and five for the the second. Oh,
>> 642. >> That's a >> Well, if you on the permit increase line where it's saying five, five and then zero for the second. Never mind what I was about to say. I just did the math in my head. It was not
going to work the way I figured. Um, okay. All right. I let me go back to what I was going to say. It does kind of work. So, the permanent increase the 550.
If you did the 225, you might get what you need depending on how many second permits you bought. But Kurt's going to have his wife. So, this one, Mr. Christ is that our
earnings is at $135,452. Just wanted to have people keep that in mind if we have a goal of increasing our retained earnings for any purposes or with that. I know it's not on the agenda, but just
for keeping in mind when >> are we thinking about using any of our retained earnings >> as of right now for this budget period? We're not scheduled to this budget period. We can always in the future future fiscal year
But I just want to keep that in mind if we want to increase rates a little more to try to increase that retained earnings or if the goal is to keep it right in the range of 135,000 just to keep it in the back
for future years. and didn't use retained earnings this last time last year when we were talking about this. >> Yeah. For fiscal for the last budgeting cycle, we did not budget any use of retain earnings. We we used a little
more of a tax subsidy because our retain earnings were a little on the low side. >> Okay. And what are we use looking at for the the subsidy? substant,783, which is right around that we've always
maintained. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. We don't we don't want to go over the >> months. Okay. Yeah. All right. Um, I haven't got it working, but I did some math just using the permit increase
of 550. If we change that for the $2, I think you can figure out basically what the difference would be in doing 225 my math right. It looks like you'd be in the black about $570. You' just be above what we need. But I'll double check that
in the model. I mean in my opinion I think in general we do have to do some an increase and it's just kind of matter what we decide to do. Well, again, just conversation. If we did a 225
and then I did a bag increase 50, I think it it would give us what we needed with a little bit extra and I think they're reasonable increases, you know. So, We haven't changed the bags for about
four years, right? Is that what we figured out? >> It's the 42. >> Yeah. >> Which is good because, you know, when we when we have our hearing, you know, that'll be indicated, too. Hey, it's been four years since we've done any
increase and everything. So, which is good. Um, but I think too I I mean I I get what you're saying, you know, doing the larger amounts because it gives you that extra, but at the same time, as you pointed out with inflation and
everything, just going, you know, now they're talking about heat prices going up and everything like that. At some point you have to just kind of go how do we love and still give us what we this committee I think
fix it so that I have my thumb >> there she is. >> Yeah. Yeah. So, I got the model working again. The the um 225 >> 225 results in 65 in black. I was off by a
little I rounded my numbers. >> Um so 605 in the black. If you also put on 50. >> So that will give us the increase that we needed. Keeping it tight, you know.
Okay, she'll call. So 225 plus the 50 cent bag you end up at 304,000. So the surplus is actually really the bags when you you go from the current rate 292.
>> What? No, I'm just asking because the bag when you only do a bag increase of 50 cents, you got 200. >> You had just said that the 225 was 600.
>> Oh, yeah. No, it is. We account for half of you if you're 299. So we could still be in the black. >> Yeah.
>> Well, that's good for that. So, so right now the discussion is a 225 on the permits 50 cent increase on the bags and that would place in the black
with a little buffer space >> that yeah with the bag it's pretty good buffer. It's 5,200. >> If we do just the 225 don't touch the bags. We're still in the black but it's like $600. Yeah,
>> it's not a quick trend, but where some of the sales seem to be trending down, I'd like a little more of a cases continue to trend down. >> Right. Well, I think that's when we have to kind of like um I mean a lot of it is again it's
cultural as to why people don't want to use the transfer station because they don't want the you know the trash in their vehicle, you know. Um I get it. A lot of people have SUVs so the trash is literally inside the car with you. Um
but again, you know, if we once we figure out what we're doing, um you know, get at least a flyer out there to remind people this is what you're paying for the convenience. you're paying for the convenience, you know, which we all know will we're willing to do at times,
but here's the possibility of what you could say, you know, and so that could be uh something we can look at doing just to remind people because, you know, some people don't even realize about the transportation either and they don't and
they've, you know, moved here and never had a transfer station, so they don't even understand how it works, you know. So that's something that uh you know we could do again is just kind of remind everybody um so of another way of
setting some up. So all right so >> just on another point on what you're throwing out is that it decreases the amount of truck traffic. >> Yeah, that would be nice. I mean, I live
on a dead end street and I'll tell you that is a busy dead end street some days. >> And of course, I I watch the trucks go all back all the way down and then come up and everything. They are good drivers. I will say that. >> Oh, I have one Paul I've almost called
I'm turning into an old man. I've almost called the company said need to slow him down. >> So, but overall it's >> less haulers in town. less traffic in town. So, >> I did um I just ran another quickly
while thinking about it. It's no bag increase, but 335 and then you'd be at about $1,780 in black. 225 was 600 in the black. You 335 >> with no bag increase,
>> right? I know the bags. We don't really look touch. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, just >> Well, because the the bags are monthly cost. That's that's part of your monthly budget, you know, and and that's where it can be,
>> you know, sometimes it's problematic just because you're trying to do your monthly budget and everything and with other prices going up, you know, that's what impacts it. >> So, for next steps, do you want send out
these other scenarios I ran here so everyone gets them and then we want to run anymore. >> I think the two scenarios that we've talked about the the 225 with the 50 cent increase and then the 335 with no
bag increase. We should look at that and then have that for us for our next meeting. >> Got it. >> How's that sound to everybody? >> Okay. >> All right. Let's schedule the next meeting.
How about October 14th? I mean, you can do it on the 7th, right before the select board meeting, but the 14th it would be okay in between 4:00. I do want to just for information, I'll
be here on the 14th, but the 13th is a holiday. >> The 13th is a holiday. That's mistake. So, I just wanted to make you aware of that. >> Okay. Okay. I always forget about
>> because for a while there when I was still working, they they were playing with the holiday and they we had it then they took it away and then they gave it back. So, it became one of the business that I stopped thinking about. >> It's kind of late this year. I would have expected it the weekend. >> Yeah. So, um we can also do it on the
7th, but I think that the 14th would be fine. >> That work with everybody else. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> 14th at 4:00. >> Okay. I'll get some new between now and then I'll make the new scenarios and if
anyone has any run that >> Yeah. Well, if you think of another scenario that you think, you know, throw it in. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, but right now we're going to look at a 22 five
cent and then a 33 5 z. Okay. All right. >> All right. Is there anything else? >> Madame Chair, before you adjourn, >> I don't know if you can see, but I've
had my hand up for five minutes. >> No, I my thumbnail's missing, so I >> Oh, okay. Well, pardon me for interrupting. >> Okay, go ahead, Pauline. >> All right. Um, I lost track of what your scenarios are that you are trying to um
create. I believe you've made some new ones because they're not on the sheet that I took off your memo, Dan. So, you're talking about increases of three, three, and five for the permit and then 50 cents for a bag if I understood. >> We're looking at other scenarios. Okay.
Far as with because when you look at the memo, you know, the permit increases, you know, uh 550. So, I was talking about, you know, can we do for like the permits a 225,
>> right? >> I caught I caught the bits and pieces >> bags. Yeah. 50 cents on the bags. >> I got scenario is the 335 on the permits with a zero on the bags. >> Okay. So, I know this is not the public hearing, but this is one of my favorite
committees. Rate review and other uh committees of the same type for we're talking transfer station were created solely for the purpose of making sure we charge the right rates to the customers and that the rates cover the expenses and that's the game plan here and you've
all done a good job with that. I heard in one of the new scenarios that's not on this chart an uh revenue increase of approximately $1,700 give or take if I heard it correctly. But looking at the the proposals on the chart itself, the
permit increase 505 raises that same amount of revenue and puts the uh transfer station in the black cuz it's 1742. I think the other number was 1760. So they're pretty much on par, but the difference between the two is there's no bag increase with the
505. And as a senior, I would advocate um that's a smaller group. charge the larger group um and you still have even more revenue if you look at um increase regular permit only which is the third line down it's $1,100
and Janice you know I'm not a fan of the bag tags uh the bag bags but prefer the bag tags and there's not even a scenario scenario in here even though we talked about it last year of considering switching to tags which we were going to do we were going to look had over the
past year and come up with a plan for that and that's not here. So, I just share that. But I would encourage you to change the permit fee, not the bag fee, because as I think most of us agree, the bag fee is what's keeping people away.
>> Um, that's why we're looking at all the scenarios. >> I appreciate that. >> As far as the stickers, we did discuss it and it was also discussed in that uh the memo on the transfer station study. Um, as far as the stickers and the stickers are still problematic, but it's
not off the table. We are keeping our eye on that. Um, there are I think the few towns that still do it, but the problem is is that it makes it hard for the the people to see to make sure that everybody got paid. And then in the old
days, because those stickers were just like a 2x4 with like a large band-aid, you know, people were cutting them in half. I still have some. >> It's not off the table. It's not off the table, but it's it's still problematic. >> And I appreciate that, Janice, but as I
said last year, change the um configuration. Make it a circle so you can't tear it in half. Make it a triangle so you can't tear it in half. Make it bigger so it's easier to see. There are ways to use a sticker if we think it through. But those are just my
thoughts and I appreciate you letting me share them. >> No problem. So, um, but yeah, so we're going to for our next meeting, we're going to have all the scenarios so that you know, whatever this committee decides, at least it's all informed and
we we've done our best to look at the best way to handle this. So, um, anything else, you good? Because I can't see you. So, you have any other questions or >> Nope, I'm fine. Thank you very much.
>> Okay. All right, then. So, we're scheduled for the 14th, 4 p.m. And I'll send out an email everybody because I don't I think something that missed uh this last time and see if we can get our other team members to come with us and join us. All
right. >> Okay. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> Chair says I we are adjourned. Thank you very much.