I ask all taxpayers to contact their Town Meeting Representatives and ask them to VOTE NO on Article 23 and NO on Article 31. Article 23 is a proposal to spend over $1,200,000 on large trash totes. Article 31 is a proposal to allow the Select Board to charge individual homes for trash collection.
Requiring everyone to use two totes (regular trash and recycling) is a bad idea. Totes are large, ugly, unwieldy, and often left in plain view because they are difficult to store. They are also difficult to use for seniors with very small amounts of trash, those with mobility challenges and those who live on hills. Even more so in winter conditions. What will one do if trash items won’t fit in the bin? Consider your own needs. Look around your neighborhood to realize how limiting a tote trash system would be. The system we have now is by far the best. It serves everyone’s needs easily.
As for Article 31, this would remove the word “free” from our bylaw and bring back a Pay As You Throw (PAYT) fee system. The word “free” has been in our bylaws for 100 years. When the word “free” was up for removal in 2002, the citizens voted 19,896 NO’S and only 10,600 YES’s in a Town-wide referendum, close to two to one against removing it. 57% of all registered voters voted. By contrast, only 37% voted on the recent $650,000,000 High School question. What does that tell you? If the Select Board believes the outcome would be different today, let’s have another referendum vote. Let’s do what the people want.
We should not leave in the hands of only 3 Select Board members whether we’ll pay $10 or $100 to dispose of a mattress or refrigerator or any other item that won’t fit in your tote. They’ll be way too much pressure to use trash fees to balance budgets.
The duty of your Town Meeting Representatives is to see all citizens’ needs are met with the best services for the least cost. Please remind them of this. Ask them to VOTE NO on both Articles 23 and 31. It’s the right thing for everyone.
Thank you.
Peter Kelley