By Mary Macedo, Neighb News Correspondent
At its meeting on Monday, 1/13 the Fairhaven Board of Public Works met with the Board of Health to discuss several programs, and to announce that stop and yield signs would be installed on West Island streets.
Fairhaven Health Agent Mary Freire-Kellogg discussed a curbside organic recovery program with the board. The company will give each house a Rubbermaid bin filled with compostable materials that can be put out on the curb weekly or biweekly. For each bin they collect a new bin will put in its place for next time.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said that the bin can hold compostable materials such as food and paper towels. Ms. Freire-Kellogg said it will save the town money that they pay in trash tonnage because a lot of the trash residents put out is compostable goods and with this program it will help reduce trash that the town pays for.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg explained that the program is free and the company uses the compostable goods to create soil that can be sold.
BPW member Robert “Hoppy’ Hobson asked if the program was only for residents who wanted to do the program or for all residents.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said that she would suggest they start the program in one target area and see how the program works out and then go from there.
Mr. Hobson explained that he is worried about the amount of bins on the curb.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said that they can choose any day for the bin to be picked up and it could even be on alternating weeks of the recycling, that way there are only two bins out on the curbs every week.
BPW member Keith Silvia said he was concerned about the bins not having wheels because it might make it hard for senior citizens to put the bin out.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said the town does not have to use the company’s bins and that the town could opt to apply for a DEP grant to by better bins with wheels.
BPW member Frank Coelho said he felt like all the recycling is going to become more expensive because there are so many restrictions, such as having to wash the cans before recycling. He added that will eventually cause higher water and sewer bills.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said as recycling becomes more important, more and more restrictions will be made to help recycle more items.
Mr. Hobson said he felt like the compost bins will smell.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said that the things in the bin are already things people are throwing out anyway, so it will not smell anymore than it already does. She also said the bins are replaced every time they are picked up so that will also help prevent odors.
BPW Chairperson Brian Wotton suggested Ms. Freire-Kellogg get in contact with the company and plan a time for the BPW to meet with them to discuss the program more and look into a target area in town to try the program on.
In another matter the Board of Health also discussed the Waste Zero program with the BPW. The program is a curbside bag pick up for textiles and clothes.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said she has no problems with the program, but she just wants to make sure that the program will still promote the clothes bins that are placed in areas around the town, as well as the curbside pick up. She said that clothes bins around town raised about $1200 a year.
Mr. Wotton said he was not even aware of where the clothes bins are in town. He said his wife would use the curbside Waste Zero bag instead of driving to a clothes bin .
Mr. Coelho said that Rochester has adopted the Waste Zero program and they love it.
Mr. Hobson reiterated that he is just concerned about the amount of bins and bags curbside.
Mr. Wotton explained that residents would not be putting out clothes every week and that it would probably only be a dozen bags curbside per week.
“You don’t know how many clothes my wife’s got,” Mr. Hobson joked.
Mr. Wotton said the program would not hurt the town and it will help in the long run because it costs nothing to use the program and it will help eliminate the weight of the town’s trash, which saves the town money.
Mr. Furtado said the town will get $20 per ton.
Mr. Wotton suggested the board contact Waste Zero and talk about signing a contract.
In another matter Mr. Coelho mentioned that they need to find a place for the new recycling center.
Mr. Furtado said the Bridge Street location is the perfect spot but it needs about $1,000,000 worth of clean up.
BPW member Cameron Durant asked about possibly getting a DEP grant to fund the cleanup for the recycling center.
Ms. Freire-Kellogg said she is meeting with a few DEP members soon and will try to find out if a grant for cleanup is possible.
In another BOH matter Ms. Freire-Kellogg handed out reusable straws to the BPW members. Ms. Freire-Kellogg said they used grant money to get reusable straws for the town and have attached them to recycling flyers.
“You think I’m going to go out to eat and bring a straw,” Mr. Hobson laughed. “I’m too old for this.”
BOH Chairperson Jeannine Lopes explained that some towns are starting to ban plastic straws.
The board also discussed progress on getting stop signs on West Island on the side streets where they intersect with Causeway Road.
Mr. Durant asked Mr. Furtado for an update regarding the engineer’s recommendation for the signs =.
Mr. Furtado said they received the letter from the engineers, which did make the recommendation to install the signs. The Selectboard also has to approve the measure.
Mr. Wotton said they will put stop signs on every Causeway Road intersection that does not already have one.
Resident of West Island and former BPW Chairperson Michael Ristuccia thanked the board for getting the approval for the signs.
Mr. Wotton said that they have been waiting a long time to get approval and they had to find alternate ways to make it happen.
According to the letter from GCG Consultants, although the signs may not be required by the state’s criteria, the area would benefit from them for several reasons, including that the “guidelines rely on all drivers understanding and practicing the normal right of way rules at intersections without stop or yield signs. Confusion and accidents would most likely be reduced.”
Another reason cited is the “seasonal nature of the area and unfamiliar drivers would benefit from the additional guidance and regulation.”
Mr. Durant asked about signage on Balsam and Alder Streets, which is a merge point and not an intersection. Mr. Furtado said there would be a yield sign for those streets.
Mr. Wotton thanked all that were involved in this issue, adding that he thought everyone on West Island will be very appreciative.
In other business the board also approved two separate catch basin tie-ins. Frank Costa of 3 Fellsway Street received approval to tie in his sump pump to a closer catch basin to avoid creating an icy puddle of water in front of nearby businesses. The board also approved Mary Anne DeMello on 171 Dogwood Street to tie in her sump pump to the nearest catch basin.
In another matter the board discussed a GCG Associates payment of $18,155 for an engineering study for moving a pipe on Cooke Street that is on private property.
Mr. Furtado explained that the property owner has complained about the town’s pipe being on his property and the town needs to look into moving the pipe. The first step is an engineering study.
Mr. Furtado said if they move the pipe there will be flooding in the area, which is why they need a study to find the best way to move and replace the pipe onto town property.
Mr. Hobson said he thought they should hire a lawyer to see if the town needs to remove the pipe.
Mr. Furtado explained that the town did not ask the property owner’s permission to put the pipe there.
A motion was made to approve of the payment for the study. The motion passed with Mr. Hobson voting against it.
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