Town weighs ditching garbage districts amid cost increases

At the October 25 Chester Town Board meeting, the board discussed a plan to privatize garbage collection to meet budget requirements. The town garbage services budget has nearly doubled over a one-year span, increasing from $ 570,000 in 2023, to a proposed $1,050,000 in 2024. The budgetary increase calls for the board to make cost cutting decisions that could affect the bottom line of Chester residents.

While considering possible courses of action that could reduce the town budget, Chester Town Supervisor Robert Valentine noted, “The garbage number puts us over the tax cap regardless.” The board went on to discuss the possibility of implementing an open market for town garbage disposal, which would make residents responsible for contracting their own waste management services.

Valentine explained the mechanics of the possible shift as follows: “One option would be to disband the garbage district. It would be up to the residents of Chester to select their own garbage carrier. They could contract with whoever they want, and pay their own monthly fees.” Additionally, the supervisor went on to say, “without the garbage, I can bring this budget in under the tax cap.” Valentine also stated that the garbage budget increase was a direct result of inflation. “Tipping fees have over doubled in a year, that’s why these numbers are going through the roof.”

Although the plan would effectively eliminate the entire garbage budget, and provide some much-needed relief to the tax cap, a 30-year veteran of waste management services claimed that privately contracted waste disposal can be a costlier option, when compared to the public alternative.

Marisa Kellerhouse, a representative from Interstate Waste Services, with three decades of industry experience, expanded upon the fiscal implications of the proposed change. Kellerhouse explained, “In Orange County there is a mix between residential subscription, which is open market. Or the town services.” She also detailed the possible impact that open market garbage services could have on residents, publicly stating, “In my experience, when it is a subscription service, people wind up paying more. Volumes is where you can negotiate.” Kellerhouse later added, “even though the tip fees are high, when there’s high volume to negotiate, it benefits everybody.”