The director reported that Green Ray will begin distributing approximately 16,000 trash and recycling bins starting Monday, June 2. Each household in standard collection areas will receive a 95-gallon recycling bin and a 65-gallon trash bin; 180 smaller 65/35-gallon pairs are available, initially reserved for the downtown/historic district.

Karen Page, a resident of Bradford Court (75 Elm Street), a 23-unit courtyard complex in Old Town, spoke at length about the inability to store or use bins in a space-constrained, attached-home setting. She questioned whether opt-in rather than opt-out should be the default, whether shared bins among unit clusters were possible, and whether the historic district should have been excluded.

The director and a board member explained:

• Buildings of more than four units are not covered by the contract and do not receive bins.
• The downtown/historic district will be served by smaller rear-loading trucks, not automated side-loaders.
• Residents may opt out; a board member offered personally to retrieve bins for Bradford Court if all units opt out.
• Under a general override (Option 4), cost is embedded in property taxes (~$260/household average); under subscription (~$290/unit), each unit pays individually regardless of property value.
• Opt-out rate was estimated at 6% based on comparable towns, deliberately set conservatively so savings accrue to the waste revolving fund rather than the general budget.
• The current contract with the prior hauler was described as unusually favorable; industry-wide shift to automation means future bids for manual collection are unlikely.

A board member stated an intention to file a town meeting article, if the override passes, to permanently earmark the approximately $2.3 million trash line in the levy so it cannot be reallocated, with an automatic underride if the town rejects it.

The transfer station’s new license-plate-reader system was also described: a camera at the entrance flags non-Marblehead plates in red and tracks repeat unauthorized visits, removing the “I forgot” excuse. Non-residents may use the facility on a weigh-and-pay basis, generating revenue for the town.

DPW Director Amy McHugh provided context distinguishing Marblehead from other South Essex Sewage District (SESD) member communities.

Background: Marblehead already absorbed a major cost spike when two SESD-owned sewer force mains under Salem Harbor — used exclusively by Marblehead — failed in 2013 and required full replacement. Former Water & Sewer Commission chair Carl Segal financed that project over 10 years at a 2.5% State Revolving Fund rate, with annual payments of approximately $1,033,000 beginning in FY2015. The final payment was made in FY26.

SESD centennial plan: SESD has issued a 20-year capital plan. Total district-wide investment is approximately $400 million spread over many years across five communities (two towns, three cities) serving roughly 190,000 people. Marblehead represents approximately 7% of the district’s flow. Costs are shared proportionally except for infrastructure used solely by one community.

Marblehead-specific projections:

By reducing capital improvement spending in FY31 to offset the SESD assessment spike, the total sewer budget line is projected to remain relatively flat across the planning horizon. Most years are expected to stay in the 4–5% range, with a couple of 6% years.

The Marblehead forcemain replacement — described as the system’s ‘Achilles’ heel’ — is still in design and is a multimillion-dollar project required in the FY31 timeframe.

Bottom line: Unlike peer communities now facing rate increases for the first time, Marblehead took its large rate increase years ago and is now in a position to reinvest freed-up debt-service dollars into its collection system infrastructure.

Board members and the Town Administrator discussed the legal basis for adding sidewalks when repairing roads under Chapter 90 funding rules, which require ADA-compliant improvements. The Town Administrator acknowledged that the notice timeline before contractor deployment was too short and that neighborhood meetings should be held at the front end of projects going forward.

A resident noted that work began March 30 and door-tag notice arrived only that same afternoon. A previously scheduled Zoom meeting was the only advance notice of scope, and the plan presented at that meeting subsequently changed. The board agreed to convene a meeting with DPW and affected neighbors and committed to including residents in a walkthrough of the proposed work.

Staff reported the transfer station construction project is in its final stages. The landscaping scope was removed from the Deolas contract in exchange for a $12,000 credit; the town will complete basic drought-tolerant landscaping around the scale house independently.

Remaining items include:

• Line striping for the scale house, commercial area, and expanded parking near the swap shop (up to 1,300–1,400 cars on peak Saturdays)
• Emergency preparedness walkthrough with the fire department to review compactor trailer disconnection and access routes
• Installation of a dumpster next to the scale for small C&D loads ($6,000 used shipping container ordered for tire storage)
• Upgrade of camera system from on-premise Milestone servers to cloud-based Verkada platform

Future phases include a new swap shed and siding on the compactor building.

Staff provided a comprehensive update on the upcoming curbside cart collection program, approved by the Board of Health on April 27.

Program scope and barrels

• Approximately 8,000 eligible residential units (single- through four-family homes and condos)
• Standard allocation: 65-gallon trash cart and 95-gallon recycling cart per unit
• Smaller option available (35-gallon trash / 65-gallon recycling): residents who know they need the smaller size can email health2@marbleheadma.gov
• Carts are town property, tracked by barcode/serial number, and stay with the property when ownership changes
• Estimated cart lifespan: 10+ years; replacement for damage at no cost to resident

Rules and enforcement

• Only town-issued carts will be collected; no overflow bags, outside bins, or loose items
• Lids must be closed and secure
• Property address must be affixed to the front of the cart
• Violations subject to sanitation fines and state illegal-dumping penalties
• Automated arm-lift collection in most areas; manual collection in Old Town district
• Businesses will not receive curbside recycling collection after July 1 (~165 downtown businesses affected)

Opt-out

• Homeowners (not renters) may opt out by completing a form and demonstrating alternate sanitation disposal (e.g., active transfer station sticker)
• Opt-out is annual; seasonal opt-out not permitted
• Residents who opt out under the fee-based model still pay if in the tax base under the override

Fee vs. override

• Under the fee model: bills sent twice yearly, paid quarterly (~$5.60/week)
• If the June 9 Prop 2½ override passes, curbside collection cost moves into property taxes
• Deliveries of carts to homes planned for June, with reverse-911 notification

Transfer station project cost update

• Original contract: $1,590,000
• Change orders to date: $1,657,274
• Pending change order for ledge removal under review: approximately $48,251
• Total cost approximately 4.25% over original estimate

The FY2027 budget includes a curbside collection line of $2,186,516 funded by the new Board of Health fee rather than the tax levy. A resident (Albert Jordan) objected to the fee structure and preference for keeping curbside costs on the tax rate. Town Administrator Keiser and Finance Director Benjamin explained the distinction between waste collection (transfer station) and curbside collection. The Select Board confirmed a separate ballot question on June 9 will give voters the option to fund curbside collection through a Prop 2½ override instead of the fee.

The committee discussed whether the curbside trash collection cost of approximately $2.19M should be funded through a Prop 2½ override or an annual user fee authorized by the Board of Health.

DPW Director Andrew Petty was cited as preferring the fee because the contract escalates at 5% annually, which will permanently outgrow a levy constrained by Prop 2½ at 2.5%. A committee member noted that only about 20% of Massachusetts communities fund trash entirely through property taxes, and that Marblehead is among roughly 10% of communities offering residents a choice between curbside pickup and drop-off. The fee preserves that opt-out option; the override would eliminate it.

Financial risk from opt-outs is mitigated by $250,000 in a waste revolving fund reserve, which the committee calculated covers opt-out rates up to approximately 15%. There is a one-time operational cost of approximately $76,000 for an additional staff position to administer the fee program.

The trash override vote passed 7–2, with two members voting against on the grounds that the annual fee is the better long-term funding mechanism.

The director reported that Republic Services could not match Waste Management’s disposal pricing. The board voted to award a new five-year disposal contract to Waste Management.

Waste Management proposed rates (per ton):

Rates increase approximately 5% per year.

Savings vs. Republic Services:

• Curbside MSW only (Year 1): ~$32,500
• Including C&D: ~$54,000/year
• Overall estimated annual savings: ~$102,000

Operational note: The contract includes four dedicated trailers — two for MSW, two for C&D. Having dedicated C&D trailers removes the existing five-cubic-yard load limit, allowing larger C&D loads. The director noted that as soon as the contract is executed, the per-ton rate drops immediately from $127 to $116.50, providing an estimated $15,000 in savings in the near term.

Fee structure (fee-based program, effective FY27 if override does not pass):

Total program expenses: $2,186,516. The board chose the 6% opt-out assumption, reasoning that Marblehead’s transfer station will attract more opt-outs than typical communities (where ~3% is normal).

Reduced (low-income) rate: Set at $145/year. Eligibility is determined solely by the Assessing Department based on income; approximately 120 households qualify. The board discussed setting it lower (or free) but settled on $145 as a reasonable discount.

Business fee: Set at $80/month ($960/year), covering both trash and recycling. Businesses must participate in both services; food establishments are ineligible. This fee applies only under the fee-based program; businesses are not included in the override scenario.

Billing: Quarterly billing by mail (two bills per year, each with two payment vouchers). Billing administration estimated at ~$25,000/year. Online payment options under consideration for future years.

Fees are not roll-over: Revenue goes to the general fund; shortfalls are covered by the waste revolving account.

Transfer station bulky-item and mattress fee changes:

A public comment from a resident raised concerns about whether automated collection would resolve the ongoing issue of trash and recycling being collected together by Republic; the director explained that automated trucks will be programmed to pick up only the cart type assigned to them.

The Board of Health opened a public hearing on new standalone curbside collection regulations. Key provisions include:

• Eligible properties: Single- through four-unit residential properties (condos and homes); properties with five or more units are ineligible. Marblehead Housing Authority properties with 40+ units per site are also ineligible.
• Cart standard set: Each eligible unit receives one 65-gallon trash cart and one 95-gallon recycling cart, both owned by the town for 10 years.
• Cart identification: Each cart must display the property address number (and unit letter if applicable) in 2–4 inch block lettering in the upper right-hand corner on the front, without covering the serial number. The serial number side faces the street.
• Recycling rules: All recycling must be loose (not bagged), lightly clean, and limited to Recycle Smart–approved items. Recycling is mandatory under Massachusetts law.
• Trash rules: Trash must be bagged in plastic bags and placed inside the cart with lid closed. Nothing may be left outside the cart.
• Downtown district: A limited supply of 35-gallon trash carts (with one 65-gallon recycling cart) is available for downtown properties with space constraints; downtown collection remains manual (two-person crew).
• Opt-out: Residents are defaulted in; opt-out requires a completed form, documentation of an alternative lawful disposal method, board approval, and return of both carts. Seasonal opt-out is not permitted. Case-by-case hardship exceptions are allowed.
• Amendments adopted: (1) Changed “duly appointed” to “duly elected” Board of Health; (2) added cart-labeling specification; (3) added language that material outside the cart will not be collected and fines may be issued; (4) clarified owners cannot opt out seasonally.

DPW Director Andrew provided the following updates:

Transfer Station Construction: Approximately two weeks of work remain — curbing installation, paving, striping, and repair of two front compactor columns (lower sections to be cut off and new sections welded on). Starting immediately, inbound traffic via Green Street will exit back out Green Street on weekdays; Saturday exit via Woodfin Terrace will remain open.

Curbside Collection Rollout:

• Carts will be delivered in June to approximately 3,006 homes (single-family through four-family).
• Carts are labeled by unit address (e.g., “46 Peach Street A”) with barcodes; violations will be ticketed to the associated address.
• Mandatory use begins July 1; automated truck collection expected to begin end of September (a slow rollout). Downtown district and narrow one-way streets will continue manual collection.
• Sharing bins across units or households is discouraged; opting-out residents must disclose alternate trash arrangements or face sanitation tickets.
• Old barrels can be brought to the transfer station with a transport permit; recycling most plastics is impractical due to mixed material content.
• Carts are town property and will be repaired at no charge; expected lifespan is at least 10 years.

Waste Disposal Contract: Waste Management submitted a revised proposal offering $116.50 per ton for disposal (a combination of rates), representing a potential savings of approximately $32,500 per year ($16,250 on curbside alone). The board must wait for Republic Services to respond before making a final decision. Both proposals will be taken up at the April 27 meeting.

April 27 Meeting Agenda:

• Public hearing on curbside collection fee regulations.
• Board vote on regulations.
• Board sets the fee (both residential and potentially business rates; staff suggested $100/month for businesses — $50 trash, $50 recycling).
• Discussion of bulk item drop-off fees at the transfer station.

FY27 Budget / Revolving Account: The Select Board has approved a waste revolving account ceiling of $1.3 million to provide flexibility for unexpected costs. The curbside collection program article at town meeting is set at $2,298,000 as a general (permanent) override — not a debt exclusion.

Transfer Station Fire: A minor trash fire occurred due to a prohibited item (likely a lithium battery or propane tank). Minor damage to one trailer. Residents reminded that lithium batteries, propane tanks, and engines with fuel are prohibited from trash and must be brought to the universal shed or DPW office.

Clothing/Textiles: The town earns five cents per pound from the clothing donation bin; the town processes approximately 50,000 pounds of clothing per year through vendor CRMK.

Q2 ballot question on curbside trash and recycling: vote yes to replace the new ~$280/household fee with a $2,298,575 tax-levy increase (projection includes 5% contract growth). If the fee stays, eligible tax-abatement households would receive a discount and all residents could opt out by using the existing $150 transfer-station sticker. Board of Health is implementing the fee regardless as part of the balanced budget; the override question simply lets voters choose how to fund it.

Article 11 — Walls and Fences: $25,000 approved, down from the historical $50,000. DPW Director presented an $80,000 evaluation cost for five coastal sea walls (Front Street, causeway, Ocean Avenue), with estimated repair costs ranging from hundreds of thousands to $1 million per wall per a Woods Hole Group study. DPW confirmed no critical repairs will be deferred this year but warned the reduction will slow progress.

Article 12 — Stormwater Construction: $200,000 approved, down from $400,000. DPW noted the town has approximately $10 million in identified five-year stormwater needs and is approaching the typical 5-year debt exclusion override cycle. The $200,000 will barely cover regulatory requirements (illicit discharge elimination, reporting, catch basin cleaning).

Article 7 sets maximum spending from departmental revolving funds for FY27. The committee heard from DPW’s Andrew that the waste collection revolving fund maximum was proposed at $1,067,000 — lower than the prior year’s $2M-plus authorization — because a one-time $1M capital construction project is ending. However, given uncertainties around the new curbside trash fee (potential opt-outs, revenue variability), the committee voted to raise the waste maximum by $232,402 to $1.3M as a buffer.

The special education revolving fund showed a large year-over-year decline, explained as reflecting lower tuition-in revenue and a draw-down of fund balance, not a cut in special education spending. Grand total approved: $4,205,300.

The director presented a comprehensive review of the FY27 waste department budget and a proposed fee-based curbside collection structure.

Waste Department Budget (approved unanimously):

• Salaries and operating expenditures: $3,215,611
• Landfill maintenance and monitoring: $114,600
• Total: approximately $3.33M

Curbside Collection Fee Structure: The Select Board decided curbside collection will not be funded through the base budget; it will go before voters as an override or be funded through a Board of Health–set fee. The director outlined the following estimated annual costs for curbside service:

Dividing by estimated households at various opt-out rates:

• 3% opt-out (7,760 households): ~$281.77/year
• 5% opt-out (7,760 households): ~$287.70/year

A reduced rate of $260/year is proposed for approximately 160 households with assessor-approved reduced tax status. The contract includes a 5% annual escalator.

New barrels: Each of the 8,000 households will receive a 65-gallon trash bin and a 95-gallon recycling bin, financed over five years at approximately $210,600/year. Barrels will be delivered in June 2026; the official contract begins July 1, 2026. All material must be contained in the provided barrels; nothing outside will be collected. Residents may opt out, but opting out locks them out for the full fiscal year.

Transfer station revenues for FY25 totaled approximately $751,351 (stickers: $612,720; other disposal: $117,558; hazardous waste: $10,185; clothing donations at five cents/pound: remainder).

A public hearing on the fee is scheduled for the last week of April, before town meeting. The board has legal authority to set the fee without a town meeting vote.

Public comment included a longtime resident who raised concerns about the pace of the decision, fairness to existing taxpayers who have invested in the transfer station, and questions about whether other North Shore communities run their own transfer stations (few do). The resident expressed a preference for keeping curbside collection on the tax rate and supporting a smaller override rather than instituting a fee.

A significant discussion arose about the structural assumption underlying the entire FY27 budget: that a solid-waste user fee administered by the Board of Health will generate just over $2 million in new revenue, removing that amount from the operating budget.

Key points:

• The budget as proposed is balanced only with the trash fee revenue in place.
• The board discussed offering voters two parallel options: (1) accept the trash fee program, or (2) vote a ~$2 million ‘trash override’ to keep solid waste in the operating budget and rescind the fee.
• The mechanics require coordination with the Board of Health, which has jurisdiction over solid waste contracting.
• The town administrator advised that the select board should pass a comprehensive final budget vote (not the department-by-department approach used historically) to formally set what is submitted to town meeting — ideally before FinCom’s ‘Super Saturday.’
• The board agreed to schedule a Wednesday meeting to consider override options and potentially the full budget vote.

Staffing

DPW has declined from 23 employees (pre-2020) to 19 full-time plus one partially funded director position after losing one laborer and one part-time clerk in this budget. Amy described extensive restructuring over three years including:

• Creation of a hierarchy with working foremen overseeing highway, stormwater, tree, and mechanic divisions.
• Cross-training all HEOs across divisions.
• Moving the town engineer (PE) from conservation into DPW for boots-on-ground engineering oversight of major projects.
• Splitting the director salary to fund an assistant director/utility coordinator.

Roads

• Since Friday before the meeting, the department placed 42 tons of hot top using the new hot box and a truck capable of carrying 10 tons, completing three major rectangular patches.
• Article 11 street funding is being spread over 8 years; West Street, Commercial Street, Tedesco, and Humphrey have been paved.
• Chapter 90 state funding is ~$400,000/year — insufficient to pave a single street (e.g., Bouvier/Gary at ~$900,000; Tedesco/Humphrey at $3–4M with sidewalks).
• Chapter 90 now funds maintenance (crack sealing, line painting) and design (including $340,000 for Village Street Bridge to 25% design).

Stormwater

• Stormwater construction article cut approximately 50%, covering only regulatory requirements.
• Deferred projects include flooding remediation at Lee Mansion, 26 Harbor, Mohawk, Pequot, West Shore Drive, and major outfall repairs.
• The town has addressed 3–4 miles of its ~53-mile stormwater infrastructure, much dating to the 1930s WPA era.

Other

• Standby/on-call pay increased per new contract — previously $200/week; now a daily rate per negotiation.
• Snow removal budget held flat (statute bars reduction once increased).

The board unanimously approved adopting a Sustainable Purchasing Policy, described as modest adjustments to existing reusable-purchasing guidelines. Adoption is required for the town to remain eligible to apply for Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) grants through MassDEP. The policy includes “wherever feasible” language limiting its burden on town operations.

DPW Director Amy McCue reported on winter and pothole operations:

Snow operations: Pre-treatment uses 11 people and 9 vehicles; full plowing mobilizes 47–53 employees and approximately 45 pieces of equipment from DPW, Board of Health, Cemetery, Park and Rec, and Water and Sewer. This season included one event exceeding 30 continuous hours and one exceeding 40 hours. Approximately 1,500 tons of salt have been used. Snow removal required up to 50 vehicles and 18.5-hour workdays for multiple consecutive nights.

MEMA disaster reimbursement: The town submitted approximately $362,000 in documented storm costs (DPW alone ~$332,000). Eligibility depends on Essex County collectively reaching a $13 million threshold.

Potholes: 102 pothole locations reported since January 23. The existing 2015 three-ton hot box went into maintenance during the heaviest storm period. A new four-ton dual-burner hot box, purchased through the Chapter 90 Share Fair grant, is expected by end of the week and will allow asphalt to be reheated rather than wasted.

Following a 70-page RFP process, the board’s director presented results from three top bidders — Republic Services, Casella, and Waste Management — and recommended Republic Services. The board voted unanimously to authorize moving forward with contract development.

Key contract features:

Operational highlights:

• Republic’s facility is the closest major processing plant to Marblehead and recently completed a $25 million upgrade
• Curbside trucks will make two daily dumps; the second truck will bypass the transfer station, saving roughly 2,000 tons of transfer capacity annually
• That freed capacity could support expanded commercial C&D operations
• Republic offers priority (no-wait) entry at disposal facilities — described as a “Disney Pass” arrangement
• Schools (approx. 500 tons MSW) and municipal buildings will have separate collection priced into the contract
• Approximately 174 downtown businesses may be offered optional curbside service at a proposed rate of $100/month
• All material must be contained in provided carts; loose placement beside barrels will not be collected

Transfer station change orders also approved:

• Change order #12: $532 for electrical breaker/outlet for heat pump (code requirement)
• PCO #10: $3,380 for water/sewer disconnection from former trailer
• PCO #14: $5,301 for underground communication conduit
• Total project change orders to date: approximately $25,000–$30,000 on a base contract of approximately $1.159 million

The contract is subject to appropriation. Regulation updates for curbside collection will be developed in coming weeks.

Under Scenario B, the town would remove approximately $2,037,184 in curbside trash collection, disposal, and recycling costs from the general fund. This would require the Board of Health (an independently elected body) to implement a fee structure to fund those contractual obligations.

Key parameters:

• ~8,000 households → approximately $254/year (~$21/month or ~$64/quarter) per household
• Opt-out available: residents could use the pay-per-bag sticker program instead
• Discounts proposed for residents who qualify for property tax exemptions through the assessor
• The fee would cover contractual costs only; employee benefits, billing system startup costs, and DPW operating expenses would not be included in the fee base
• Full cost if the entire waste function were fee-funded: ~$464/year (~$39/month)
• Danvers recently implemented a comparable system and has seen approximately 3% opt-out

A resident questioned whether new fees require town meeting approval; a board member stated the Board of Health had received a legal opinion on the mechanism. Another resident raised the question of whether this constitutes a de facto new tax requiring town meeting authorization.

Town Administrator Thatcher presented the list of Select Board-sponsored FY27 town meeting warrant articles:

The trash contract cost was also briefly referenced as a major budget pressure alongside healthcare costs.

The health director reported that bids for the new automated curbside trash and recycling contract have come in at approximately $844,000 above the prior year’s budget — below earlier internal estimates that had exceeded $1 million. A meeting with the town administrator and CFO is scheduled to discuss how the contract cost increase will be incorporated into the overall town budget.

Key operational details under the new contract:

• Automated collection using standardized barrels (65-gallon trash; 65- or 96-gallon recycling depending on collection frequency).
• Recycling collection may shift to every-other-week for cost savings; downtown district would retain manual collection.
• Barrels purchased directly from a third party (not through the collection company) to avoid markup; each barrel will carry a QR code linked to a specific address.
• The Board of Health will handle barrel maintenance and replacement in-house using stock kept at the transfer station.
• Approximately 175 businesses could potentially opt into curbside service under a new paid structure (monthly or semi-annual); board will need to update solid waste regulations.
• Commercial revenues from the transfer station’s revolving fund will cover the cost of distributing barrels to all households.

The director cautioned the select board that the trash contract has been discussed for approximately 10 years, should not be characterized as unforeseen, and should be included in the main operating budget rather than attached to an override question. The director also warned that eliminating curbside collection is not a viable cost-cutting option, citing experience from the prior summer’s waste strike when the transfer station could not handle residential recycling volume.

The health director reported on transfer station construction progress and presented three change orders:

All three were approved unanimously. The director also noted that excavation for the scale pit revealed potential concrete deterioration and compromised steel beams at two front corners of the structure; a structural engineer is assessing and a future change order may follow.

The scale house trailer is scheduled for removal on February 18 (pushed from February 10 due to pending permanent power connection). Commercial trash operations are set to reopen the following day with notification to approximately 400 account holders by email.

The DPW director (speaking in person) described over 34 hours of continuous plowing. Standard priority routes include Pleasant Street, Washington Street, Atlantic Street, and Atlantic Avenue — corridors with high bus-stop and school-adjacent traffic. School department equipment and staff handle school properties first, then work outward to adjacent sidewalks, while DPW handles street crossings. The director acknowledged equipment constraints given the storm’s size and committed to coordinating with school department staff on remaining sidewalk clearance. A board member noted Village Street is particularly hazardous even in normal conditions.

The director reported that bids for curbside trash collection and disposal contracts were due the following morning at 10 a.m. via electronic submission. Bids were solicited for three options: (1) current manual collection, (2) automated collection with standardized 95-gallon barrels, and (3) automated collection with recycling on a biweekly schedule. The director noted that manual collection is expected to be the most expensive due to higher labor requirements.

The board discussed:

• Adding commercial businesses in the business district to the curbside program under the new contract
• The introduction of a recycling processing fee (currently not paid) under the new contract
• A requirement to follow RecycleSmart standards; residents will see those printed on barrel lids
• Challenges with accepting plastic bags and film due to commodity market limitations
• The closure of landfills statewide expected by 2030, with rail transport becoming the standard for disposal
• Bidders included Waste Management, Republic Services, Casella, Wind Waste, Capital, and others

The current trash disposal contract ends July 1; curbside collection ends late September/early October. The director noted the board retains the right to negotiate with bidders rather than awarding solely to the lowest bid. Any change to collection method will require public education and notification.

The director presented a change order to add a catch basin between the existing storm grate and manhole at the transfer station site. The need arose because the sump elevations were shallower than anticipated given site topography, requiring an intermediate structure in the drain line. The board voted unanimously to approve the change order totaling $5,276.

The director reported that the transfer station renovation project is approximately 30 days from the end of the construction season, with return work needed for paving, line painting, and front gate installation. Key milestones completed include: permanent relocation of the scale, new concrete pad for the trailer, lower concrete walls, and restoration of the ability to receive trash from curbside collection trucks at the station (previously trucks had to make multiple trips to an outside facility). The scale house framing and roof are substantially complete, with rough plumbing done and rough electrical underway. Utilities including sewer and water connections are being installed, and a new fence has been installed along the exit side of the facility.

The board approved a $14,695 contract with Commons Overhead Door to install a new overhead door at the DPW yard. The repair is funded through the repair and maintenance budget and was described as critical for winter operations.

Contract 26-39 was approved with Woodward and Kern for $135,000 to conduct phase one of a stormwater utility fee study (funded from Article 10, 2025 town meeting). The study will develop a rate structure, stakeholder engagement process, and draft bylaw. The DPW Director noted the stormwater system is entirely gravity-fed with no pump stations, and that approximately $10 million in stormwater capital needs are identified in the capital improvement plan. The annual fee is expected to range around $800,000–$1 million to address maintenance and MS4 compliance obligations. Approximately 36 Massachusetts communities currently operate stormwater utilities. Stakeholder groups and public engagement are expected in January–February 2026.

Construction at the transfer station is progressing on a tight schedule. Milestones completed include the scale house foundation, rough plumbing, wing walls, and the scale pit pour. The scale is scheduled to move into the pit on December 19. Beginning that date, resident exit access will be rerouted to Green Street, with staff on site to assist. The pit is expected to reopen shortly after the new year. Commercial access to the pit remains a priority and the closure period is being minimized.

The health director presented draft FY budget sheets for both the health department and waste department. Key figures:

Health Department highlights

• State recommends ~$39/resident in public health appropriation; full funding would be approximately $744,000; town currently appropriates well below that
• Request to restore Marblehead Counseling Center funding from $60,000 back to $120,000 (approved by Finance Committee in a prior year but reduced at the last minute)
• $4,000 contribution to HAWK (Healing Abused Women in the Community)

Waste Department projected increases

• RFP for new curbside trash/recycling contract is on the street; contractor question period scheduled December 17; final bids due January 14
• New contract expected to include automation (wheeled carts for all households); estimated cost $900,000, financeable over 5 years at ~$180,000/year from the waste revolving account
• State of the Town (budget kickoff) scheduled for approximately January 28
• Finance Committee liaisons will be assigned to work with the board during the budget season

During the review of facilities, maintenance, and technology staffing — approximately 6% of total salary costs — the committee surfaced two structural ideas:

Shared services with town departments

“Deeper analysis of custodial and maintenance staffing planned but not yet completed. Committee suggested exploring shared services with town departments and a permanent building committee for large capital projects oversight.”

This is cited from /what-can-we-do.html#cost (Idea 8, shared back-office services between town and schools) as one of two times in the meeting record (alongside SB 2024-01-24 reporting “cost sharing collaboratives”) where the structural lever has been raised at a public board meeting. Neither one resulted in a formal proposal or vote.

Permanent building committee

The school’s roofing project (active in this period; bids due Nov 13, 2025) and the FY26 early-education feasibility study at Evelyn School both involve significant capital. A standing building committee — rather than ad-hoc committees per project — would centralize oversight.

Why this is a small move and a big move at once

The dollar size of the facilities line (~6% of salary, perhaps $3M / yr at FY26 scale) means sharing won’t transform the budget. But it’s one of very few structural cost levers that doesn’t require collective bargaining — town-side facilities staff aren’t in school-side CBAs, and vice versa. If the towns can split a maintenance role or rent a town-owned space rather than a third-party one, both sides benefit.

No vote at this meeting.

The town director reported on construction progress at the transfer station:

• Site excavation is underway for the scale pit and scale house. Approximately 100+ cubic yards of “urban fill” (potentially contaminated material from historical site use dating to 1937) were encountered; a Licensed Site Professional (LSP) is required to sample, categorize, and determine whether soil can remain on site or must be shipped out.
• Concrete pour for the scale pit was delayed to Friday; scale installation is targeted for the week of December 19.
• A curbside collection RFP has been re-released; bids are due January 14. A public pre-bid meeting for potential contractors is scheduled for December 18.
• The board unanimously approved a change order substituting granite curbing for concrete curbing around the scale house area at a cost of $5,016, citing concrete’s susceptibility to salt damage.
• A steel plate (4 ft × 18 ft, 1 inch thick, approximately $3,300) must be purchased for the scale pit connection point.
• During construction, Republic Services is hauling trash to an alternate facility (Revere), extending their daily routes.

A resident (Elaine Lahey, Ida Road) commented via remote public comment requesting that weekly recycling pickup be maintained in the new curbside contract.

The associate chair read the current period’s vendor bills for transfer station and waste operations. Selected figures:

The board noted the Republic Services bill reflected post-strike billing and that during the strike the bill was prorated based on services actually rendered, reducing the monthly charge by approximately half when only trash (not recycling) was collected.

The board voted to suspend the standing overnight parking ban (Article 5, Section 8 of town traffic regulations) and replace it with a snow emergency response activated on an as-needed basis. The DPW Director, Fire Chief, and Police Chief, in coordination with the Town Administrator, will set start and end times based on weather conditions. Notifications will go out through the town website, CodeRed, social media, and MHTV. The vote is revocable if public safety is negatively impacted. A recently signed state law also provides some additional emergency authority.

The vice chair for waste management reported that he and the DPW director will hold a public open house Thursday, 3:00–4:00 PM at the Community Center, bringing 35-, 65-, and 96-gallon barrel samples to illustrate options under the pending curbside trash and recycling RFP. Early community feedback indicates little appetite for every-other-week recycling; residents generally want both streams picked up weekly. The primary concern about carts has come from the historic district. A key point emphasized: regardless of which RFP option is selected, curbside recycling will no longer be unlimited under the new contract.

On the transfer station:

• Transfer station sticker sales exceeded $600,000 for the calendar year
• The license plate reader system is operating well, with a green/red alert for registered vs. unregistered vehicles
• A notice to proceed for the transfer station construction project will be issued within days; some facility closures should be expected during construction, and commercial customers will be notified by email and on-site flyers
• The metal bin is handled by Second Street Iron; due to a soft mixed-metal market, staff will begin hauling metal to the processor approximately once per week
• Hazardous Waste Day was reported as successful; disposal fees are increasing and residents were advised to buy only what they will use

Bills reviewed (selected): | Vendor | Amount | |—|—| | Agri Source (grinding/compost removal) | $3,200 | | Black Earth Compost (food composting) | $1,018.88 | | Bloom wellness app (grant-funded) | $14,500 | | Trident Environmental (hazardous waste day) | $10,672 | | John Deere Financial (equipment lease, two units) | ~$55,000 combined | | Marblehead Counseling Center | $3,566.80 |

The director reported that a pre-construction meeting with the transfer station contractor was held the previous day. Permit applications are expected this week with a quick approval process anticipated. The construction contract is 90 days, though paving will fall outside that window and is expected to be completed in spring. The primary goal during construction is to keep residential operations — trash, recycling, swap shop, and yard waste — fully running. The commercial weigh-and-pay scale may have limited downtime. The board discussed scheduling a site tour for all three members.

The transfer station director presented three curbside collection options under consideration as the town prepares an RFP for a new contract:

The largest cost driver is the new requirement to pay for recycling disposal, which is currently free to the town. Bulk purchasing of town-owned toters (approximately $55–65 per unit vs. ~$110 retail) would produce savings if the town buys approximately 16,000 units collectively.

The director noted that transfer station sticker sales have grown to nearly $600,000 annually (up from $300,000–$400,000), covering a significant share of transfer station operating costs. He emphasized that under Proposition 2½ constraints, choosing the higher-cost options would require reductions elsewhere in the town budget. A public information session is planned for late October at the Council on Aging to gather resident input before the RFP is finalized.

The board approved the annual road salt contract with Eastern Salt Company at a rate of $73.08 per ton. The contract is a standard one-year agreement off the state bid list and is funded from the snow and salt budget.

DPW Director Andrew Petty presented a contract award for the transfer station redesign and construction project. The scope includes:

• A new permanent scale house with operator area, break room, and storage
• Relocation of the scale to a permanent, flush-grade scale pit in front of the compactor
• A new concrete pad for the trash trailer and two wing walls
• A dedicated resident traffic lane separate from commercial traffic, with signage and lights

Funding consists of approximately $1.2 million in recovery money from a 2015 warrant article, with the remainder from the waste revolving account. The project is estimated to take approximately six months with some downtime for the compactor building during construction. Future phases will include a new swap shed.

Petty also briefed the board on the upcoming trash collection RFP, expected to go out in November with a contract decision targeted for December. Key considerations include transitioning to automated trucks, standardized 65-gallon trash toters and 96-gallon recycling toters collected every other week, and limiting curbside volume to control costs. The new contract would take effect around September 2026.

Transfer Station Construction Contract

The board voted to award a contract to Dele Brothers Construction of Lynn for $1,590,000 for transfer station improvements. The competing bid from GVW was $1,708,435. Work includes:

• New scale house
• Relocating the scale to a permanent position in front of the pit
• New paving, curbing, gates, and fencing
• Concrete pad for tractor trailer parking with wing walls
• Lighting and traffic flow improvements

Construction is planned for fall, with concrete work expected to take multiple weeks. During the scale pit work, trash trucks will be rerouted directly to RESCO. Residential drop-off access will be maintained throughout.

Curbside Trash & Recycling Contract Renewal

The current Republic contract expires September 2026. The DPW director presented options for the upcoming RFP, which needs to be issued in October 2025 to allow vendors approximately one year to gear up.

Key proposed changes:

Container purchase option:

Providing 8,000 trash toters + 8,000 recycling toters would cost approximately $900,000 total (~$48–$52/unit), financeable over 5 years at ~$130,000/year. Retail cost of equivalent containers at Home Depot would be ~$100–$105 per unit.

Downtown district:

Automated arm collection is not feasible in the historic downtown due to parked cars and traffic; manual collection will continue there. The board discussed whether downtown businesses should pay a monthly fee (~$100/month per container) for curbside service, or be excluded.

Bi-weekly recycling:

During the Republic strike, the town conducted every-other-week recycling collection and the board noted it worked well. Salem currently uses a 65-gal trash toter (weekly) and a 96-gal recycling toter (every other week). Bi-weekly recycling could reduce the recycling collection cost by roughly half.

Budget implications:

The DPW director confirmed that the increased cost (~$600K–$700K increase) must be absorbed in the town operating budget; it cannot be handled via Prop 2½ override because if an override failed there would be no collection service. The finance department has been briefed on projections for approximately 10 years. The board discussed plans for a public information session, likely at the senior center, and distributing visual aids (physical toter displays) at Town Hall and the community center.

Future transfer station phases:

• Feasibility study underway for a construction and demolition waste warehouse
• Swap shed identified as a high community-need project

Solid waste disposal outlook:

All Massachusetts landfills are projected to close by 2030. New Hampshire and Maine are expected to restrict out-of-state waste imports. Current disposal goes to Ohio, Michigan, and potentially as far as Louisiana. The town’s prior incinerator operated 1950–1975; ash remediation costs were noted as a cautionary lesson.

The DPW director presented a list of vendor payments for board review. Selected line items included:

The board noted that the laptop purchase was funded by a grant, not tax revenue, and is town property.

The board approved DPW Director Amy McHugh’s request to designate the entirety of the railroad right-of-way (Roundhouse Road, School Street to Besim Street) and Upper Anderson Street (from number 10 through Besim Street) as a no-parking tow zone on October 20, 2025 (7 AM–3 PM), with a rain date of October 21, to facilitate the annual cleanup and repair of town property in the area.

DPW Director Amy McHugh and the Town Administrator summarized active street and utility projects:

McHugh explained that the reclamation process — Marblehead’s first since at least 2010 — involves removing and rebuilding the entire road base, followed by a freeze-thaw season before final paving, typically a roughly three-year cycle from first utility work to finished surface. The Pleasant Street water line has been chlorinated and flushed; results are expected by Saturday. A sidewalk contractor is expected to begin work by end of September, prioritizing low-complexity ADA ramps. A list of streets completed under Article 11 funding is available and will be posted to the town website.

Scale house construction project: Filed sub-bids were received in all required trade categories (roofing, metal windows, plumbing, HVAC, electrical), with multiple bids in most categories. General contractor bids are due September 17. After award, construction timing will be coordinated with the Republic strike situation; the goal is to complete foundation work before winter.

Landfill encroachment: A neighbor on Stony Brook Road planted perennials on the landfill cap, removing an estimated several to five inches of required vegetative cover. This violates both state DEP regulations and the town’s landfill permit, which specifies grass cover as the surface treatment. The engineering firm Haley Ward has assessed the situation and prepared a remediation plan. The director will obtain estimates; depending on cost, the work may need to go to bid. Prompt action is needed during the current growing season to prevent erosion and protect the landfill liner.

A Mass DEP inspection of both the landfill and transfer station was scheduled for the following day. The landfill floor feasibility study is also underway.

The health director requested board approval to create a temporary special clerk position (20 hours/week) for the waste department. Key details:

• A COA special clerk has been assisting since July 1 during the strike
• Estimated cost: up to $26,000 (covering back to July 1; some costs to be covered by the town due to strike circumstances, remainder from revolving fund and general employee operations budget)
• Primary duties: selling and processing transfer station stickers, answering phones and emails, customer service
• The director noted sticker sales have increased dramatically and are now centralized at the health department

The board voted unanimously to approve.

Separately, the director reported that a temporary minute-taker will be hired for board meetings at approximately $400/month, sourced outside the union after internal interest was first solicited per contract requirements.

A new heavy equipment operator named Ken has been hired as a replacement for Jason Young; he holds a CDL-A license.

The health director (Andrew) reported that the Republic Services Teamsters strike is in approximately week 12 (started July 1). Republic is using temporary replacement employees. Key operational issues include:

• Recycling collection requires crews to travel to Danvers to offload, significantly lengthening routes compared to trash (which goes to the nearby transfer station)
• New crew members unfamiliar with Marblehead’s narrow streets sometimes miss sections, causing cascading delays
• The Labor Day holiday shifted trash and recycling to Saturday with no buffer day for make-up collections
• Republic and union representatives met the prior week with no resolution; another meeting may have occurred the day of the board meeting

The town is negotiating with Republic over partial payment for recycling services not rendered. The director indicated the town will likely pay at least 50% of the recycling contract amount per month. Attorneys are involved.

The health department director reported the Republic Services curbside collection strike was in its seventh week with no resolution in sight. The governor sent a letter to the Republic Services CEO urging mediation, and 12 communities signed a joint letter to the same effect.

On recycling resumption, the director stated Republic had indicated it could potentially begin every-other-week curbside recycling pickup as soon as the following Monday, but only after demonstrating a plan to service schools once teachers return the following Thursday. The board discussed limiting initial recycling set-out to 65 gallons per household to avoid overwhelming collection capacity.

Looking ahead to the contract expiring in September 2026, the director outlined two primary RFP scenarios:

Additional RFP elements under consideration include standardized lidded barrels for both trash and recycling (financed over 3–10 years for roughly 8,000 homes), every-other-week recycling collection, and a requirement that the contractor repair or replace damaged barrels. Smaller regional operators such as G. Melo of Georgetown were mentioned as potential bidders alongside larger firms. The board confirmed a public input meeting for the fourth Monday of September (tentatively Wednesday the 24th), with outreach via Code Red, email lists, and town electronic signs.

The transfer station scale-house construction project was noted as out to bid with responses expected in early September. A new administrative employee, Joanne Ferney from the finance department, was set to begin August 18, replacing staff who had moved to other roles during the strike.

John Morris, President of Beauport Ambulance Services, Inc., appeared before the Board. The Town Administrator walked the Board through the contract.

Structure

• Joint contract between Marblehead, Swampscott, and Beauport Ambulance Services
• Approved by Swampscott the night before (July 22, 2025)
• 6-month notification period for either municipality to opt out
• 5% annual profit donation to community organizations as part of the deal

Service level

• One fully staffed ALS ambulance plus additional BLS coverage
• New co-branded vehicles, already acquired and prepared by Beauport for the August 15 start
• Beauport’s experience serving multiple towns cited as the operational rationale
• “Modern equipment, better employee retention, and dedicated service”
• Expected to improve response times and service levels

Cost

• Potential cost savings noted due to a zero bid from Beauport
• Beauport handles medical-supply replacements, which were previously a separate cost to the organization
• “Seamless” transition: previous provider has agreed to an orderly handover

Why this matters

This is currently the only operating inter-municipal shared-service contract Marblehead has under MGL c. 40 § 4A. It is cited from /what-can-we-do.html#cost (Idea 9) as the existing local example that “the model works locally” – the proof point that the procedural path exists when the will is there.

Approved unanimously. Service begins August 15, 2025.

The board received a detailed update from Health Department Director Andrew on the fourth week of the Republic Services Teamsters strike affecting approximately 17 communities and 400,000 residents across the Commonwealth.

Curbside collection: Two contractor trucks remain in service; phone calls and emails to the department have dropped dramatically from roughly 500 emails per day at the strike’s outset. Replacement drivers rotate on two-week assignments, requiring repeated reorientation to Marblehead’s narrow streets. Drivers may work up to 60 hours per week. DPW is handling a small-truck route for narrow streets.

Transfer Station: Receiving approximately double the normal recycling volume, with close to 1,000 cars per day counted around 2:00 PM on the meeting date. Waste Management is servicing the facility up to four times per day for recycling pickup. License plate readers are now operational at the facility entrance, flagging unregistered vehicles and providing daily car counts.

Mediation: Republic and the Teamsters held mediation on approximately July 18 without resolution. The current wage gap is described as roughly $5/hour: affected drivers earn approximately $39/hour; the offer including increases would bring them to approximately $46/hour, still below the roughly $51/hour Boston drivers earn.

Legal posture: Five municipalities filed suit seeking to compel additional Republic service; Marblehead declined to join. Town Counsel advised that the Select Board is the only body that can authorize litigation. Instead, the town placed Republic on notice and is tracking additional costs — overtime, Waste Management fees — against the unpaid July invoice.

“We haven’t paid Republic for the month of July. We don’t pay until services are rendered. We’ll review that bill and see what items we would like to take off.” — Director Andrew

Recycling reminder: Residents are asked to keep recycling off the curb until Republic signals it is ready to resume curbside recycling collection.

The board opened by elevating the director’s report to address the Republic Services/Teamsters strike, which began July 1 after the contract expired June 30. Key operational points:

Curbside collection

• Republic is flying in replacement drivers from other parts of the country. Two trucks—one trash, one recycling—cover nearly 300 streets across four square miles.
• Recycling curbside pickup has been suspended; only trash collection is ongoing.
• Residents are asked to leave bagged trash in lidded barrels at the curb until collected; recycling should be held at home or brought to the transfer station.
• Missed streets are compiled daily and emailed to Republic, which is supposed to prioritize them the following morning.

Transfer station

• The facility operates six days a week and is permitted to accept 50 tons/day; typical annual throughput is approximately 10,500 tons (~10,000 tons/year; up to ~13,000 during COVID).
• Two 100-yard trailers are filled and hauled daily by Waste Management/CWT to Wheelabrator Saugus (waste-to-energy).
• Recycling overflow is the primary challenge: Waste Management is hauling recycling bins two to three times per day instead of once.
• The Greenworks facility (Republic-owned recycling processor) is also under a $25 million construction project, limiting where transfer station recycling can go.
• Republic dropped off an additional 25-yard open-top recycling container.
• The swap shop is closed for the duration of the strike to reduce congestion.
• Residency checks are being conducted; non-residents are being turned away. A police cruiser presence was suggested for ticketing.

Staffing

• New heavy equipment operator Jason Young started Tuesday. Former clerk Marty Flanagan has been promoted to assistant waste director.
• The COA is sending a volunteer daily to help answer phones (100–500 emails/day; four phone lines ringing continuously).
• Board members cautioned against overworking staff already working 7 a.m.–5 p.m. in extreme heat.

Contract and financials

• Current Republic contract: approximately $987,670/year (year 9, Oct 2024–Sep 2025), roughly $20,000/week or under $3/household/week.
• The town has not yet paid for the strike period; billing analysis is pending.
• Republic currently absorbs approximately $300,000/year in recycling costs under the existing contract; the next contract will likely require cost-sharing.

2026 contract planning

• The board is evaluating a move to automated (one-driver arm-lift) collection for most of town, with manual collection continuing in the narrow downtown district.
• Automation would require standardized toters (65- or 96-gallon) for all ~8,000 homes — roughly 16,000 barrels total.
• A five-year RFP covering curbside, transfer station, and tonnage hauling is being prepared; companies want contracts finalized this fall so trucks can be built for a September 2026 start.
• Commercial recycling placed curbside in the downtown district will likely need to be capped or charged going forward.
• Massachusetts landfills are expected to close around 2030, making longer contracts unattractive to vendors.

Board action

• Unanimously approved a motion to formally thank transfer station workers.

Select board members and the Town Administrator addressed ongoing disruptions to curbside trash collection. Key points:

• Board of Health Director Andrew Petty is managing the situation with all available staff redirected to the transfer station and collection routes.
• A code-red notification system is being used to provide daily updates; residents were encouraged to sign up online.
• Staff from other departments, including the Council on Aging (Lisa Hooper cited), have been redeployed to handle phone inquiries.
• Residents unable to receive pickup can email Andrew Petty; a priority list is maintained.
• The Town Administrator referenced a code-red message that day indicating an offer had been made to the Teamsters from the town’s public works side.
• The target was to resume Friday curbside pickup by that Friday.
• One board member noted Marblehead’s transfer station is available to residents and reiterated that, contrary to public claims, non-residents are not being accepted.

Town Engineer Maggie Wheeler returned to present a formalization of signage and line-painting work at rail trail road crossings, consistent with the Rail Trail Master Plan adopted in late 2020. The improvements include yield shark-teeth pavement markings, ‘Trail Crossing Ahead’ signs in both directions at each of the four crossing locations (eight signs total), and continental-style crosswalk striping, which research by the Institute of Transportation Engineers identifies as most visible to people with visual impairments. Work will be executed under existing contracts 2024-041 and 2024-071 with Raphael Construction. Vote was unanimous.

Town Engineer Maggie Wheeler presented Marblehead’s annual Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) stormwater management plan review, required under the Federal Clean Water Act. Key points:

Illicit Discharge Detection: Approximately 35 days of sampling were conducted in targeted areas throughout the year. Dye testing of homes in high-bacteria areas confirmed those properties drain to the sanitary sewer, not the storm system — but elevated bacteria levels in the drainage system indicate additional sources remain to be found.

Pet Waste: Wheeler emphasized that pet waste left on the street, in yards, on trails, or deposited directly into catch basins flows untreated to the ocean. DPW clamshell bucket trucks have removed multiple full buckets of bagged pet waste from catch basins. Fines apply and violations can be reported to DPW.

Catch Basin Maintenance: Annual cleaning is underway townwide. Some pipe lining and CCTV inspection work was also conducted.

Construction Site Runoff: The town bylaw (Chapter 195) covers parcels over approximately 40,000 sq ft; best practices apply to smaller sites.

A board member noted that waste barrels at problem locations (such as the Neck) are managed by Rec & Parks, not DPW; Wheeler agreed to raise the coordination question with DPW Director Amy McHugh.

Potential Strike: Republic Services uses Teamster-represented drivers and laborers for curbside collection. Their contract expires June 30. Negotiations have not concluded. If a strike begins July 1 (a Tuesday), the town’s plan includes:

• Delaying collection one day at a time using the Code Red reverse-911 system
• Keeping the transfer station open to all residents
• Republic has stated it would bring in employees from other areas, though service may be slower

The director noted the town will communicate proactively but does not want to create unnecessary alarm before the situation is clearer.

Invasive Species – Japanese Knotweed: The director explained that Japanese knotweed must be disposed of in the trash compactor, not the compost or yard waste piles, because fragments can propagate the plant if spread through compost material. Informational signage at the transfer station was suggested.

Grants Overview:

• Public Health Emergency Preparedness grant (~$145,000): Federal funding is uncertain; the state may receive $11 billion instead of $16 billion from the federal government this year.
• Public Health Excellence grant: Partners include Swampscott, Lynn, Salem, Marblehead, Peabody, Danvers, and Beverly; targets raising per-resident public health spending toward the state benchmark of ~$39/resident (~$740,000 total).
• Tobacco Control grant: Funds twice-yearly compliance inspections of retail establishments.
• Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) grant: Supports YRBS survey, recovery coaches, and school-based substance abuse programs.
• Mass DEP Recycling Dividends Points grant: $8,000–$14,000 annually for transfer station operations and equipment.
• Bathing Beaches grant: State funds weekly water sampling at all five Marblehead bathing beaches.

The board unanimously approved a motion to formally request that town counsel provide written answers to two questions:

1. Why did the town feel the need to enter into litigation with the engineering firm over the transfer station project?
2. How did the town determine it was owed the original amount, and why did it settle for a lesser amount?

The director also presented a detailed list of recent expenditures including (selected highlights):

The board also noted that license plate reader cameras have been installed at the transfer station and are pending a final internet card installation expected Wednesday.

Republic Services, the town’s curbside collection contractor, notified the board of a prevailing wage rate increase applicable to both drivers and laborers — a requirement called out in the existing contract.

The board noted there is no choice but to pay prevailing wage as required by law and contract. One motion was passed unanimously to authorize payment of prevailing wage rates under the Republic Services contract.

The board approved a two-part motion to advance the long-delayed transfer station construction project:

Scope reduction: The project is being scaled back to the scale house and site work only. Items removed from scope (for now):

• Reconstruction of the existing compactor pit (siding, roof, door) — compactor itself is new and operational
• Swap shop construction — a future phase, potentially using prefab on a 20×40 slab

Architecture fees: Winter Street Architects will be paid $26,680 (described as ‘Additional Services 15 R1’) to revise bid documents for the reduced scope. Breakdown includes civil engineering, additional engineering, structural engineering, construction set modifications, re-estimating, and architect coordination.

Available budget: Approximately $2 million, of which $1 million comes from commercial waste fees (not tax dollars).

Context: A previous estimate of $1.2 million came in at $2.4 million at bid time. The director acknowledged ongoing tariff uncertainty as a factor in the current cost environment. Permits are already in hand; the main timeline constraint is the bid and contractor selection process, expected to take a couple of months.

Both motions passed unanimously.

The board voted unanimously to reinstate the assistant waste director position after previously voting it down. Two factors drove the reversal:

1. Municipal union contracts (police, fire, municipal workers) have now been settled, removing an earlier concern about optics
2. Operational need: The director described significant revenue leakage at the transfer station (non-residents using facilities), growing administrative burden (6,000–7,000 stickers now processed online through the health department), increased email/phone volume, and the need for backup staffing

Funding: For the first year, the position will be funded entirely from the commercial waste revolving fund — no general fund or tax dollars. The board agreed the position should track time spent on transfer station vs. town-wide functions to enable appropriate cost allocation in future years.

License plate readers were noted as a key tool to prevent non-resident use of the transfer station and potentially open new revenue streams (e.g., day passes for out-of-town users).

The position will be posted internally for one week before going to an external posting. Start date targeted for July 1. The director noted a goal of eventually splitting his time 50/50 between health department and waste department functions.

On request of DPW Director Amy McHugh, the board approved a temporary parking ban from 12:01 AM to 7:00 AM on June 9–12, 2025 in the downtown, Old Town, and shipyard districts for annual street sweeping. Residents and visitors will be notified through temporary no-parking signs, targeted flyering, website updates, Code Red notifications, and the Marblehead Police Facebook page.

The board accepted a MassWorks Infrastructure Grant of $135,000 with a local match of $15,100 for redesign of the Five Corners intersection, identified in the town’s Complete Streets prioritization plan and a prior intersection study. DPW staff indicated the work will advance preliminary designs to approximately the 25% design phase, incorporating a potential mini roundabout, bicycle facilities, landscaping, and stormwater management for the School Street public parking lot. The town plans to issue an RFP by end of July, hire a consultant by August, and begin community engagement — including approximately four public meetings — shortly after project kickoff around September. The design phase is expected to take 12–18 months.

Beach testing season runs June 11 through September 10, with samples collected each Wednesday. Results are returned within 24 hours. Three beaches require re-sampling before closure decisions; Gas House and Grace Oliver’s beaches are closed immediately upon a failed sample and reopened once a passing result is obtained.

Potential bacterial sources include dogs, rack lines of seaweed, and a stream outlet at Grace Oliver’s Beach. All staff participate in sampling during the summer. A training process will be in place for a new inspector.

The director presented a multi-year proposal from Haley Ward for long-term monitoring of the Cat Landfill as required by MassDEP. Sampling occurs twice annually (spring and fall) and covers water and gas samples.

Total for 2025–2027: approximately $128,000. Total for 2028–2029: approximately $109,000. Costs are within the existing landfill monitoring budget line. Separate five-year monitoring for Steer Swamp is also required and will be addressed under a different contract. The board voted unanimously to approve the contract.

The director announced the annual household hazardous waste event for Saturday, May 31, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the transfer station. Accepted materials include paint (latex and non-latex), pesticides, herbicides, motor oil, bad fuel, and varnishes. There is a fee based on quantity (small, medium, large).

The event is shared with Swampscott, which accounts for roughly half of attendees. The director noted a previous Wednesday evening (4–7 PM) event worked well and may be repeated in the fall. The vendor contract is in its final year; new pricing will be negotiated with the state. The swap shed will not open that day due to traffic volume.

The director reviewed the following bills (partial list):

The board noted that the town’s health department supplies recycling and composting bins to public schools and pays for school trash collection without reimbursement from the school department. The $32,000 waste management invoice covers curbside collection, school dumpsters, town building dumpsters, and some small-street service.

Article 36 established a stormwater enterprise fund. DPW Director Amy Chu explained the fund itself does not allocate revenue or change current procedures; it only creates the legal vehicle. A full study including cost analysis, rate study, and public engagement meetings would follow before any fee structure is proposed to a future town meeting.

Supporters noted the fund could replace the need for periodic Prop 2½ overrides (the current capital improvement backlog exceeds $4 million). Opponents, including one resident, objected to creating another enterprise fund that they argued would add employees and result in new bills separate from the tax rate.

Three potential fee structures were described: a flat fee, a per-residential-unit fee, and an impervious-surface fee. The vote passed 266–118.

Article 9 appropriated $50,000 for walls and fences (392–36). Article 10 appropriated $400,000 for stormwater construction, reconstruction, permitting, and maintenance (400–33).

The Board of Health provided an update explaining that the board voted to eliminate a newly proposed assistant director position for the waste/transfer station department. The budget previously allocated for that salary line is being reallocated to the waste disposal line. This is an accounting change only and does not alter the total budget amount previously voted by the Finance Committee.

A Board of Health member noted that at least two board members felt the job description and position development process had policy and strategic weaknesses that warranted further board-level discussion before submission. The decision was described as not taken lightly, with an acknowledgment that the department will be short-staffed.

The transfer station director noted growing operational complexity: new entry/exit procedures, two transaction hubs, an upcoming waste collection contract renewal, and curbside collection evaluation. He indicated the board could opt to fund such a position through the waste revolving account in the future. The upcoming waste collection contract was flagged as a significant cost item for the town in the coming year.

The director outlined town meeting preparations, noting that the Finance Committee chair will address the upcoming end of the trash collection contract in both written and floor remarks. The FY27 contract will require significant planning and Finance Committee collaboration; one approach discussed is framing the cost increase as a Prop 2½ override so residents understand the specific reason for higher taxes.

The director also outlined upcoming transfer station operational changes that will need board action:

• Limiting recycling volume (currently unlimited curbside)
• Identifying and separately charging commercial curbside accounts
• Buildings of four units or fewer would continue under residential terms; above four would be commercial
• Analyzing material amounts at the recycling area

Waste revolving fund discussion: The board discussed using the waste revolving fund more strategically—allocating employee costs proportionally between commercial-waste operations (revolving fund) and general town services (general fund). The director noted that when the FY26 budget was cut by approximately $1.7 million town-wide, he agreed to cover a trash disposal shortfall from the waste revolving account rather than reduce staff.

Assistant director position dispute: A lengthy discussion arose over the process by which a new assistant director position was submitted to the compensation committee and included in the budget without a formal board agenda item. Key points:

• The position was in the budget since September; the final line-item budget was approved by the Finance Committee in March.
• The director went to the compensation committee in April to have the position graded and scored before town meeting, as required for any new position.
• A board member who walked in on the compensation committee meeting said he had not been informed the process was imminent.
• Board members agreed that going forward any significant new position should be an explicit agenda item with board discussion before external action is taken.
• The board acknowledged shared responsibility for the communication gap.

The board received a list of transfer station and health department vendor invoices. Notable line items included:

• Public Services (trash collection): $292,189.26
• East Coast Compactor (compactor repair): $70,700
• Pete’s Tire Barn (tire replacement): $5,421.60
• Utech (mattress recycling): $4,644
• United Construction (non-highway vehicle R&M): $4,613.11
• Black Earth Compost (residential food composting pickup and bags): $4,055.76
• Dynamic Waste Systems (shrink wrap disposal): $2,463.75
• Uline (barrels for school kitchens): $2,304.08
• Marblehead Light Department (electricity): $1,730.08
• SL Chase Welding (pit structural repairs): $420.75 (approximate)
• American Security (flag disposal box): $890.30
• RMG Enterprise (TV/monitor recycling): $1,004.90
• Waste Management of Massachusetts (trash disposal): $10,897.99

The shrink wrap disposal was clarified as boat winter wrap, not food wrap.

DPW Director Amy (last name not captured) outlined two concurrent rail trail construction projects awarded to Rafael Construction:

1. Prototype/Showcase section (Smith Street to Pleasant Street) — grant-funded with a hard June 30, 2025 completion deadline.
2. Early Construction section (Rockaway to Clifton) — a historic granite curb from the original Clifton railroad station needs disposition guidance before work can proceed.

To protect the grant deadline on the first project, the town is extending the Swamp Scott branch project deadline from June 30 to October 30, 2025 with no additional cost. DPW is working with Pat Franklin and railroad history stakeholders on whether to remove or reset the historic curb.

The board also approved option years two and three of the pavement management support services contract with APEX/Environmental Partners of Quincy, each at a cost not to exceed $100,000, covering periods through March 31, 2026.

The DPW director provided a comprehensive transfer station update:

Compactor: The new compactor, chute, and tipping floor are installed. An electrical overload issue causing a breaker to trip on the return stroke was identified and adjusted by the vendor; no recurrence since Monday.

Traffic flow: Beginning the following Monday, all permitted users (residents, recyclers, landscapers) will enter via Green Street. Vehicles will queue inside the facility up the hill. Temporary and permanent signage is being posted; landscapers will be notified by email.

License plate reader (LPR): Fiber optic installation is nearly complete. The system—reading front and rear plates and alerting staff in the transaction hut—is estimated to be operational within a couple of months. Computers for the transaction hut are on order. Residents will be able to pay for special items (appliances, etc.) by credit card; no cash is accepted.

Recycling rerouting: Republic/Greenworks in Danvers shut down for a major $25 million upgrade through approximately December. Recycling is being diverted to Waste Management in Beverly, with additional trucking costs offset by savings from the prior period when no tipping fee was paid to Greenworks.

Upcoming curbside contract: The current curbside contract is in its final year. The board will engage the Finance Committee during summer to discuss options for the new contract (3-, 5-, or 10-year terms). Future changes under discussion include limiting recycling volume, restricting business use of curbside recycling, and requiring address numbers on barrels.

Household Hazardous Waste Day: Scheduled for May 31st at the transfer station. Latex paint will be recycled through Recolor.

Leaf/grass curbside collection: Scheduled for weeks of April 21st, May 12th, and June 2nd.

Article 36 – Stormwater Enterprise Fund: Establishes the legal framework to create a stormwater enterprise fund in the future, which would shift stormwater costs from the tax levy to a fee-based fund. No money is placed in the fund by this article. No FinCom recommendation.

Article 37 – Police Hiring Age Limit: Rescinds the town’s prior acceptance of a state act setting a hiring age cap for police (leaving the fire department age cap in place). No financial implications identified. No FinCom recommendation.

DPW Director Amy explained that water main cleaning and lining work requires temporary 4-inch bypass pipes along Pleasant Street (Washington Street to Watson Street) and Roland Street. Because of the narrow width on Pleasant Street near Watson, parking must be prohibited on both sides to allow bus and fire engine access. Residents were warned that the metal pipes can puncture tires if parked adjacent to them. The Roland Street bypass was installed on the back side of the public way, requiring only a no-sidewalk-parking restriction rather than full lane closure. Restrictions run through June 5, 2025, and the bypass pipes will remain until the water main passes quality testing even after construction ends.

The FY26 health department operating budget was set at $326,041, up slightly from the FY25 budget of $324,190. The primary reduction from the department’s request involved the Marblehead Counseling Center allocation, which was held at $60,000 rather than the $120,000 the department had sought. Board members noted the Counseling Center has received supplemental ARPA funds in recent years and operates on a sliding-scale fee basis.

Board members expressed concern that mental health service demand is likely to increase during economic hardship, making the level-funding of counseling services particularly difficult. The budget was approved unanimously.

The director also updated the board on transfer station construction: New England Mechanical returned to site to install and wire the compactor; the new tipping floor and access ladder are complete; weatherproofing work on the steel plate is ongoing. The commercial transfer station bay has been closed for approximately two months.

The public health director presented the FY26 waste department budget. Key figures:

The town communicated a $1.7 million shortfall and initially requested a $340,000 cut from the waste department. After negotiation with the finance director, the cut was reduced to $182,505 from the waste disposal line item. Any disposal costs exceeding the $626,487 budget will be covered by the waste revolving account, which also funds the commercial transfer station operations and is funded by commercial tipping fees rather than tax dollars.

The director noted the department has approximately $250,000 remaining in the current FY25 budget and expects to use most of it before year-end. He also noted the town is entering a new waste management contract in September 2026 and indicated the board will need to make a presentation at town meeting about upcoming costs.

The board voted unanimously to approve the FY26 waste budget.

Director Petty reported that the galvanized steel for the tipping floor was expected to be completed by the date of the meeting or the following day. Chase Steel was scheduled to pick up the steel Thursday and potentially begin on-site installation Friday or Monday.

The architect is separating the project into two phases:

• Phase 1 (target: before July 1): Site work including concrete and walls, compactor building, moving the scale into the scale pit, paving, lighting, and signage — providing full operational capability.
• Phase 2 (after July 1, funded from the waste revolving account): Residing and re-roofing the compactor building and constructing the new scale house.

Brief downtime periods are expected during concrete work and scale pit construction. The residential drop-off area is prioritized to remain open throughout construction.

The health director reported that SL Chase Steel completed demolition at the transfer station the prior Friday and submitted shop drawings, which were sent to structural and architectural engineers for review. Once verified, steel ordering is expected to proceed by end of week.

A minor smoldering in the leaf pile—described as common after snow cover followed by high winds—was addressed by the fire department that morning. The board was told operations are continuing and an electrical estimate for the transaction hut and control booth is forthcoming.

The original construction estimate of approximately $138,000 was noted to cover the full scope of the transaction building including all electrical, making it difficult to isolate individual line items.

The director reviewed the FY26 proposed budget and waste revolving account allocations:

The current curbside collection cost is approximately $127 per household per year. Comparable communities under new contracts are paying $178–$237 per household, averaging approximately $203. The current waste contract expires in September 2026, and FY27 is expected to see an increase of approximately $600,000 for curbside collection alone. Recycling disposal costs are also rising, with comparable rates of $109–$119 per ton cited.

The director noted the town has been communicating this coming increase to the Select Board and Finance Committee for several years. A reporter from the Daily Item was present and asked clarifying questions about lost commercial revenue (~$4,500/day) during the compactor outage.

The director reported that SL Chase Steel is expected to begin demolition of the tipping floor imminently, with the work estimated to take four weeks. As a result, the compactor installation and chute work have been pushed out; the earliest available date for New England Mechanical to return is March 24th.

Additionally, a new control building arrived on-site and will be protected by jersey barriers. Fiber optic cable installation is expected to begin within days to support license plate reader cameras, which have been ordered. Two control booths were purchased for approximately $13,000 and $12,000–$14,000 each (with prior payments representing deposits). Concern was raised about potential tariff impacts on steel costs, though the director indicated the steel order appeared to have been placed before new tariffs took effect.

The Director of Public Health presented an estimate from SL Chase Steel for demolition and reconstruction of the transfer station tipping floor and an OSHA-compliant ship’s ladder. The estimate totals approximately $120,000: roughly $60,000 in steel and materials and $60,000 in labor. The labor portion increased approximately 59% from an earlier estimate after the director provided the contractor with current Massachusetts prevailing wage rates, which the New Hampshire firm had not originally incorporated.

Board members discussed whether competitive bidding was warranted. The director noted that attempts to solicit three bids had been underway for nearly two weeks without additional responses, and that the structural engineer provided no alternative vendor recommendations. The work is structured as time-and-materials, meaning final costs could vary from the estimate.

Key factors cited in favor of proceeding:

• The facility is losing an estimated $4,500 per day without a functioning compactor
• Potential steel tariffs of approximately 25% could raise material costs if the contract is delayed
• Estimated project duration is approximately four weeks from contract execution

The board also noted that two new transaction huts at the transfer station were purchased for just over $24,000 combined, compared to earlier estimates exceeding $138,000 for a single unit.

The board voted unanimously to authorize the Director of Public Health to negotiate and sign a contract with SL Chase Steel on the board’s behalf.

The compactor replacement project, which began the Monday prior, was halted when the contractor removing the chute discovered that the steel I-beams supporting the metal floor had rusted significantly, with holes forming. A structural engineer was brought in on Friday and confirmed replacement was necessary.

Timeline and next steps:

• Structural engineer delivered a draft replacement design
• Design forwarded to a metal fabricator (SNL Steelworks or Steel Fab, located in New Hampshire or Maine)
• Fabricator will conduct a site visit and provide an estimate
• Andrew Petty indicated a waiver from state procurement laws has been filed allowing direct contractor selection
• Once the estimate is received, a special board meeting will be called to approve costs and proceed

Cost and funding:

• Rough estimate: up to $50,000 for steel replacement
• A $4,500 add-service to Winter Street Architects for structural engineering design work was approved by board vote
• Funds come from the waste revolving account

Longevity:

• The compactor building dates to 1978 (approximately 47 years old)
• Plans include galvanizing the new steel to improve longevity, given caustic leachate from trash trucks

The board noted that discovering the issue before full construction contract execution avoided potential scheduling and liability complications.

The DPW director reported that the transfer station renovation project received only one bid, at $2,380,800 — nearly double the estimator’s projection of $1.2 million and well above available budget. The director recommended a phased approach:

1. Phase 1: Compactor building replacement and site work — to be rebid
2. Phase 2: Scale house replacement
3. Phase 3: Swap shed construction (feasibility study underway)

A new compactor installation is scheduled to begin January 20th and take approximately two weeks, during which commercial hauling operations will be suspended. Residential services will continue.

A board member noted that a local contractor estimated the painting portion of the project — for which the lowest bid received was $115,000 — could be done for approximately $20,000 outside the public bidding process, illustrating how municipal procurement requirements drive up costs.

Transfer station sticker program: The facility is transitioning to a digital sticker-list system using the Town Hall 24/7 online platform. Physical stickers will no longer be issued after this year. Residents without computer access can visit the office (9–11 AM or 2–4 PM) for assistance. License plate reader cameras are planned for installation in early spring, pending fiber-optic installation in February–March.

The health director presented a scope of work for a feasibility study to evaluate whether the transfer station could recover construction and demolition (C&D) material — including concrete, metal, and other contractor waste — as a revenue-generating operation.

Cost breakdown:

Funding comes from the waste revolving account, which had pre-allocated approximately $105,000 across three items: the feasibility study, LPR cameras, and new software (Town Hall 24/7). Unused revolving account funds are not lost at year-end.

A board member raised concerns about spending on a new study before resolving the transfer station renovation bid shortfall; the director explained the funds are separately allocated and cannot be redirected without town meeting action. The board approved the study unanimously.

The health director presented a revised fee schedule effective January 1, 2025, coinciding with the transfer station going cashless (credit card and check only; no cash). The credit card processing fee (~4%) is being absorbed into the fee rates rather than charged separately.

Approved fee changes:

The residential sticker increase from $80 to $125 was debated; the board ultimately chose $125 (up from the director’s recommendation of $105) to reduce the need for near-term future increases. The board noted that comparable towns charge $105–$185 per vehicle. Veterans continue to receive free stickers.

The board discussed whether the combined beach/transfer station sticker should be separated so residents who only use Devereux Beach are not required to pay the full facility rate. A board member agreed to raise this with the Parks & Recreation board. Health department permit fees (including tobacco and body art) were deferred to a later meeting.

The health director reported that the transfer station renovation project received a total general contractor bid of $2,380,800, well above the engineering estimate of approximately $1,171,000. Filed sub-bids included:

As an interim step, the board approved the purchase of two prefab booths from Guardian Booth (Pennsylvania): a 6×6 control booth for the new compactor area and a 6×8 transaction hut for the residential recycling area, totaling $27,469.39. Delivery is expected in six to eight weeks.

A new commercial compactor is already on site and scheduled for installation the last week of January/first week of February, during which the facility will not accept commercial trash. The health director noted he plans to meet with a general contractor to understand the bid-versus-estimate discrepancy before recommending whether to return to town meeting for additional funds. The remaining project balance is approximately $1.5M against a project cost of roughly $2.4M.

Sidewalk Master Plan (Consultant Presentation)

Consultant Frank Mee (Apex/Environmental Partners) presented the completed Marblehead Sidewalk Assessment and Improvement Plan:

A pedestrian usage heat map weighted schools, business districts, parks, and high-density areas to prioritize repairs. The data is housed in ArcGIS (Esri) so the town owns and can update it. Planning-level cost estimates are included in the 132-page report appendices.

DPW Departmental Reorganization

DPW Director Amy reported that the department restructured within its existing approved salary budget (23 positions before and after):

• Added an assistant director; split responsibilities between highway/tree and stormwater/utilities.
• Created a specialized Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) classification requiring both HEO and CDL credentials to address a CDL shortage and provide a career ladder.
• Repositioned the town engineer under DPW; replaced a higher-grade staff engineer with an entry-level engineer.
• Created a construction division foreman to lead capital improvement and stormwater projects.
• Added a part-time clerk.

Pavement Management

• Article 11 (town meeting) authorized $12M over five years; approximately $2.2M/year is the chosen scenario to maintain and improve road conditions.
• DPW now coordinates with National Grid, municipal light, and water/sewer before paving to avoid repeated trench cuts (e.g., lessons from Atlantic Ave).
• Near-term focus streets: West Street (utilities complete, paving next), sections around Crestwood/Pine Cliff, Pleasant Street pending road diet design.

Other Capital Updates

• Reds Pond wall: Two repair options — ~$300,000 for a 20-year fix or ~$1M for full replacement; design underway.
• Rail Trail: ~80% to be designed by Tool Design; prototype section between Smith Street and Pleasant Street; ARPA funds committed; listening session December 9th.
• DPW Facility: New fueling facility and roof replacement complete; storage yard nearly complete; mechanic’s garage electrical upgrade designed and going to bid; salt shed ($900,000 appropriated) exploring modular/Quonset hut options with integrated truck wash.
• CDL Program: DPW exploring building an in-house CDL training program accredited with the Federal Highway Administration; approximately 10–15 employees need CDLs.

Andrew Petty reported that the department is transitioning to Town Hall 24/7 software to allow online sticker purchases and prepayments, and will go cashless in calendar year 2025 (checks and credit cards only). The board will need to authorize fee adjustments at the December meeting to account for credit card processing fees. Proposed changes include a minor increase in the scale rate from 14 cents per pound to 15 cents per pound. Comparisons with neighboring communities will be provided before the next meeting.

Andrew Petty reported that the transfer station improvement project is out to bid via Project Dog. Filed sub-bids for trades are due November 13; general bids are due November 27 at 1:00 PM. The board hopes to award the contract at the December 10 meeting.

A site visit revealed significant contractor concerns about winter construction conditions — particularly curing concrete and repainting the compactor building — with estimated winter weather premiums of approximately $1 million. An addendum was issued allowing contractors to begin as late as mid-March and extending the project timeline from 65 days to up to 120 days. A temporary scale house can remain operational while the main scale house is rebuilt.

The department is also working with Haley Ward engineering on a feasibility study for a construction and demolition (C&D) material recycling operation on site, potentially using a clear-span structure. The study will evaluate building costs, equipment, processing costs, potential revenues, and staffing.

The board announced a household hazardous waste collection event on Wednesday, October 16th from 4:00–7:00 PM at the transfer station (transfer station open only for this event). This is the first time the event is being held on a weekday evening rather than a Saturday.

Accepted items: Paints, varnishes, gas drill and propane tanks Not accepted: Computers, monitors, other electronics (accepted at transfer station during normal hours)

Fees: $30 for 0–3 gallons/pounds; $40 for 3–10 gallons/pounds; $60 for 10–25 gallons/pounds (fees continue to increase with volume). Latex paint is accepted but is a pay item; residents may alternatively dry out latex paint and dispose of it as regular trash.

The board voted unanimously to award the post-closure environmental monitoring contract for the town’s closed landfill to Haley & Ward for $49,750 for one year (spring and fall sampling cycles). The prior contract with Watermark was $26,000. The budget line already carries approximately $50,000 for this purpose, so there is no net budget impact.

Haley & Ward is already the engineering firm managing the transfer station capital project and also works with the town’s water and sewer department. The director noted that some sampling required under the Mass DEP agreement had not been conducted under the prior contract, and conversations with Mass DEP are ongoing to ensure full compliance going forward.

The director provided a detailed update on the transfer station capital project:

Bid timeline:

• Advertising in the central registry: October 17th
• Posted to Project Dog (online bid platform): October 22nd
• Outreach list of 22 DCA-certified general contractors generated for the North Shore

Scope changes from prior bid:

• Removed: control room building for main compactor, transaction building, swap shed slab
• Rationale: structural engineer concerned about a concrete pad without a defined building; cost reduction goal to bring estimate down from the ~$150,000 range for the control room
• Remaining scope: scale house, compactor building, compactor installation, site work, asphalt, fencing, front gate replacement, wing walls, truck pads
• Signs removed from bid; will be procured separately through existing vendor

Construction logistics:

• Estimated construction period: 8 weeks
• Preferred window: mid-December through February (slowest period)
• Traffic rerouting: residential and landscaper traffic to enter via Green Street, exit via Woodfin Terrace (permanent final plan)
• Commercial operations will be disrupted; residential access will be maintained with only a few anticipated down days
• Current temporary trailer does not need to be moved during construction
• License plate reader (LPR) camera system being phased in; fiber optic loop contract in place; stickers will continue one more year during transition

Budget: Approximately $1.55 million available for the project.

The annual household hazardous waste event will be held on Wednesday, October 16 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the transfer station. The transfer station will be closed to regular operations during the event. New features this year:

• Evening time slot intended to capture residents unable to attend daytime events
• Latex paint accepted separately from other hazardous waste
• TVs, monitors, and electronics accepted as in prior years
• Marblehead residents may dispose of one item per day on any regular day

The event will be posted on the town website. The director also noted dates in early November are being coordinated with the schools for a related program.

Bills presented for the period between meetings included:

The board noted the school composting program now covers all schools (high school, Veterans Middle School, both elementary schools, and Village School), with collection twice weekly. The program is supported entirely by the department’s budget (~$180,000 recycling/compost disposal line).

The director presented value-engineering options for two structures in the transfer station renovation:

Both structures would be repurposed shipping containers built off-site, placed on existing asphalt (no slab required for the transaction hut), with electrical service only and no plumbing. The board voted unanimously to approve this direction and to instruct the architect to simplify the swap-shed design to a basic rectangular slab (~20 x 40 ft) as the project’s single alternate, down from multiple alternates that complicated prior bidding.

Other transfer station updates:

• Bidding: Approximately 22 DCAM-certified contractors have been identified; the project is targeted to go out to bid in the fall.
• License plate reader cameras: Fiber optic infrastructure being laid under a town-wide contract will support LPR cameras at the new Green Street residential entrance and West Shore Drive exit.
• Feasibility study: An engineering firm is scoping a study on constructing a facility to handle C&D (construction and demolition) material in the yard waste area.
• Fire incident: A CWT trailer smoldered late on July 21–22; fire department responded and the trailer was moved from the compactor building. Investigation found no vandalism; cause likely spontaneous combustion. Fire department training on trailer disconnection is planned.
• New employee: A new staff member has been hired and is training at the scale house and throughout yard operations.
• Trash collection contract: The current favorable contract with Republic (approximately $123 per home per year for trash and recycling) expires September 2026. The director noted the town should begin evaluating costs and that Republic has expressed interest in early renegotiation.

Bathing beaches: Water samples are taken Wednesdays, sent directly to a lab, and posted to the state website. The town website links to the state data. Five beaches covered: Devereux, Crocker Park, Gas House, Grace Oliver’s, and Raki (spelling approximate per ASR).

Budget: A flat budget submission is due September 6th. The director noted a 1% expenditure cap would not work for the waste department because costs are market- and trucking-driven. The only historical cut available in the health department budget has been the Marblehead Counseling Center line. Cutting a Saturday at the transfer station was described as not a viable cost-saving option.

The collection contract with Republic Services has two years remaining on a 10-year deal; a significant cost increase is anticipated at renewal. The director is compiling data on comparable contracts across the state. Fee reviews will include commercial waste disposal rates, per-item fees (mattresses, tires, white goods), and facility/beach stickers.

Director Petty provided an extensive transfer station construction update:

Items already purchased/on site:

• New compactor on site
• Waste oil tank on site and in use

Value engineering in progress: Three buildings — the swap shop, transaction hut (~10×10 ft), and control room — came in with estimates considered too high. The transaction hut alone was estimated at $138,000. The director is working with Winter Street Architect and Haley Ward engineers to explore pre-manufactured alternatives. A vendor in Georgia produces prefabricated security/transaction booths; cost is described as significantly lower. Engineer-stamped plans must be verified against Massachusetts Building Code.

Procurement timeline: The project is targeted to go back out to bid around October, timed to attract general contractors finishing summer projects. Several local contractors have expressed interest; DCAM certification (60–90 day process minimum) is required and contractors are being tracked.

Upcoming: A feasibility study for construction/demolition (C&D) material handling is expected to come back to the board in August. Budget was set at $100,000; actual cost expected to be approximately half that. Items under evaluation include asphalt, brick, and concrete (ABC) and potential revenue streams.

License plate reader (LPR) system: Planned alongside C&D project; software would allow online sticker/fee payment. Fiber optic work needed from Green Street gate to residential area; to be done under existing town fiber contract.

A community member suggested exploring the vocational school for construction of the small buildings and noted interest in the swap shop and in charging non-Marblehead residents more for disposal.

Maggie Wheeler of the Department of Public Works presented the annual public hearing on the municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permit, which Marblehead has held since 2003 under the Federal Clean Water Act. Key updates included:

• Illicit discharge detection: The town plans 35 days of investigation in the coming year, up from 5–10 days in prior years.
• Pet waste: Staff found an unusually high number of pet waste bags inside catch basins, particularly in the Conan/Winthrop, Goldweight, and Neck neighborhoods. Pet waste carries over 7 billion microorganisms per sample and can elevate bacteria levels at beaches including Riverhead, Striskey’s, and Grace Oliver’s.
• Spill response: DPW responded within six minutes to a tree-spray chemical spill on Hartley Graymont, preventing any discharge from reaching the harbor.
• Sump pump infiltration: DPW Director Amy McHugh (remote) noted that illegal sump pump connections to the sanitary sewer increase daily sewage flow from roughly 2 million gallons to 9–10 million gallons during rain events. Over $1 million per year for eight years is budgeted for sewer lining work.
• Outfall signage: A separate vote later in the meeting approved 10 new message board signs at public access points.

Board members asked about coordination with parks on trash barrel placement and whether monitored catch basins receive more frequent cleanings.

The board awarded a contract not to exceed $1,182,292.50 to DNR General Contractor of Melrose for the FY2024 roadway and sidewalk improvement project. Scope includes:

• A new ADA-compliant sidewalk on Lafayette Street inbound side from the Salem line to Maple Street, filling an existing gap
• Curb-to-curb paving with sidewalk improvements on Commercial Street (Atlantic Ave to Cliff Street and State Street), coordinated with ongoing MLD and harbor area improvements
• Sidewalk improvements on Atlantic Avenue at Cliff Street

Funding is from Article 11, a bonding article approved two years prior.

A resident had purchased two full-price ($80) transfer station stickers and requested a refund of the $55 difference upon qualifying for the $25 veteran sticker rate. The board voted unanimously to approve the refund. The director noted more than 100 veteran sticker refunds or adjustments have been processed recently, out of approximately 707 eligible veterans.

The health director reported that 22 letters were sent to contractors for the transfer station reconstruction project; five have expressed interest. A new engineer is reviewing bid documents alongside the existing architect to identify value engineering opportunities. One focus is pre-fabricating the scale pit offsite to reduce on-site construction time. A temporary heated/air-conditioned booth (~10×10 ft) is being considered to manage traffic and sticker transactions during construction. The director noted the existing compactor has reached the end of its useful life but will continue to receive maintenance. No bid release date has been set; formal outreach to contractors will follow document review and contractor meetings.

The board approved six DPW-related contracts or change orders in sequence:

The Town Administrator recognized DPW Director Chu for completing state procurement certification and managing all procurement for these projects in addition to her water/sewer responsibilities.

Andrew reported a successful spring household hazardous waste day:

• Over 170 cars served at a combined Marblehead/Swampscott event using vendor Triumvirate Environmental.
• New layout in the yard waste area improved traffic flow; no residents turned away.
• A fall event is planned as a Wednesday evening to capture residents who cannot attend Saturday events.
• Long-term goal is a year-round facility in the northeast; a consultant estimated approximately $1 million for construction and approximately $1 million for land, totaling roughly $2 million — far exceeding a $250,000 state offer.
• NEWT (New England Disposal Technologies) facility in western Massachusetts is available year-round as an alternative for residents.
• Legislation being pursued to require chemical product manufacturers to accept returns (takeback programs).
• Residents with latex/acrylic paint may dry it with kitty litter or bentonite clay and bring up to four cans per day to the transfer station.

Health Director Andrew reported that no general contractor submitted a bid for the transfer station renovation project, estimated at approximately $1.52 million. He outlined a two-part strategy to move forward:

Contractor outreach:

• Identified a list of 25 DAM-certified contractors in the Northeast region with certifications up to $25 million
• Sent letters to approximately 21 contractors with project information and a link to bid documents
• Plans to follow up by phone to gauge interest and schedule site meetings
• Will put the project back out to bid once contractor interest is confirmed; timing likely fall 2024 given summer schedule conflicts

Engineering review (voted):

• A firm (Haley Ward) with experience in landfill closures and large project bidding has offered to review existing bid and design documents for up to $9,000
• Goal is value engineering: clarifying bid documents, identifying construction cost reductions, and potentially shortening construction time
• This engagement is separate from a feasibility study for a longer-term transfer station rebuild, for which the same firm will provide a separate proposal

The board voted unanimously to approve up to $9,000 for the engineering document review. Andrew also noted a new oil tank has been ordered for the transfer station and will be installed at the current location before eventually moving to the new site.

The board approved a temporary overnight parking ban for street sweeping in downtown, Old Town, and Shipyard districts on May 15, 16, and 17, 2024 from 12:01 AM to 7 AM. Residents will be notified via temporary signs, flyering, website updates, CodeRed notifications, and the Marblehead Police Facebook page.

The board also approved temporary parking restrictions around the Old Townhouse from April 29 through May 30, 2024 as needed for exterior painting.

The board was informed of two operational issues at the transfer station:

1. Household Hazardous Waste Day: Scheduled for Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m. to noon at the transfer station. The prior event extended well past its end time due to high demand. Residents were advised to arrive early. A larger crew is planned and a modified layout will be used to process residents more quickly. The board’s long-term goal is regular on-site paint and hazardous material drop-off, potentially reviving a home-pickup model previously operated by a company since acquired by Republic Services.

2. Used oil tank contamination: The 500-gallon double-wall used oil tank received a chlorine contamination hit during sampling by Clean Harbors more than two months ago. The cost to pump out and remediate the tank is approximately $4,000, to be charged to the ‘other disposal’ budget line. The tank remains locked and accessible only with attendant assistance. The delay is partly attributed to Clean Harbors losing a major processing facility in southern Massachusetts.

The board reviewed the bid results for the Marblehead Transfer Station renovation project. Filed sub-bids were received across six trade categories (roofing, metal windows, painting, plumbing, HVAC, electrical), but in nearly every category bids significantly exceeded architect estimates:

No general contractor submitted a bid. GVW submitted filed sub-bids but stipulated they could only be used by GVW and then did not submit a general contractor bid. The board was advised against acting as its own general contractor due to scheduling and coordination risks.

The board voted unanimously to increase the FY25 revolving account expenditure ceiling by $300,000, from $1,062,069 to $1,362,069, to preserve funds that cannot be spent in FY24. The total allocated to the project across both years was $600,000, of which approximately $300,000 was spent on architect services and early contractor costs.

Next steps include meetings with local DAM-certified general contractors (Groom and GVW) to understand why no bids were submitted, followed by a full rebid. A public update is planned for Town Meeting Article 2 (reports of town officers).

During public comment, a resident criticized the board, noting that receiving zero general contractor bids is “remarkable” and that the town is paying approximately $400,000 per year on a bond for a transfer station it does not yet have.

Article 42 would provide free transfer station stickers to honorably discharged veterans who are legal residents of Marblehead. The article sponsor was not present. The estimated financial impact based on approximately 700 veterans in town at $80 per sticker is up to $56,000 annually, though actual impact depends on how many veterans currently use the transfer station and whether demand increases. FinCom noted concerns about lack of a means test and the absence of the article sponsor. The article was tabled for follow-up before the next FinCom meeting.

Article 9 appropriated $50,000 for walls and fences maintenance, raised through taxation. A committee member noted recent storm damage at Fort Beach area likely approaches the full $50,000 budget. DPW staff explained that major storm damage is handled through MEMA/FEMA reimbursement processes, while this article covers planned and minor repairs. Staff noted a $2 million harbor resiliency grant application had been submitted to the state.

Article 10 appropriated $400,000 for storm sewer construction, also raised through taxation. DPW staff explained the town maintains over 55 miles of storm drains, 2,000+ structures, and 60 outfalls. Four or five outfalls need rebuilding. Funds also cover MS4 permit testing requirements and illicit discharge review.

The DPW FY25 budget of $2,212,547 was approved. Director Amy described a restructuring that promoted two heavy equipment operators to lead positions, adjusted staffing grades, and transitioned the staff engineer toward a more administrative/PE-credentialed role as the town engineer prepares to retire in September.

Approximately $108,000 in hot-top and materials expenses was shifted from the general fund to the DPW revolving fund, which generates roughly $50,000 per year — meaning this is not a sustainable annual offset at that level. The budget also reflects utility cost increases brought to near-actual levels.

The town engineer (Charlie Quigley) is retiring in September; engineering functions will migrate to DPW, and his salary line is intended to fund a new Community Development and Planning department director if approved at town meeting.

Snow removal is budgeted at $105,000. The department is exploring in-house trench paving using equipment recently purchased with winter recovery funds.

Waste Department Director Andrew Petty presented an FY25 operating budget of $2,840,038, approximately 9% above the prior year’s budget. The largest drivers were overtime and ‘other disposal’ (recycling and compost) lines, which were brought closer to actual FY23 spending after being under-budgeted in FY24. Fuel and energy costs were also increased to reflect true projected spending in line with a town-wide policy change away from reliance on the energy reserve fund.

Key cost structure:

Contract expiration concern: The current collection contract expires September 2026 (end of FY27). Industry is moving toward single-operator automated trucks with standardized bins, which will require multiple dedicated trucks and is expected to cause a sharp cost increase. The department is monitoring other municipal contracts and working with MassDEP on long-term planning. Bin costs can be negotiated into a new contract.

Commercial waste revolving fund: The transfer station accepts commercial waste at $280/ton and pays tipping fees of approximately $117/ton to Waste Management. The revolving fund carries roughly a 25% contingency reserve and has been used to fund capital equipment (e.g., a ~$300,000 replacement compactor) and to supplement the operating budget.

Transfer station construction: A planned renovation bid received no general contractor responses; the project will require rebidding. About $600,000 from the revolving fund had been designated for FY25 construction; unspent funds will carry over.

Future options discussed: The Board of Health could potentially mandate a per-household trash fee by regulation without a town meeting vote. Massachusetts landfills are projected to reach capacity by 2030, likely requiring rail or truck transport to out-of-state facilities and further cost increases.

The board approved the FY waste budget, level-funded at prior-year levels. Key details:

Waste revolving account total: $1,062,069

• Trash disposal (residential and commercial, ~13,000 tons): ~$862,069
• John Deere backhoe lease: ~$27,000
• Feasibility study and sticker-less system implementation
• New transfer station operator/clerk position

Sticker-less system update: The Health Director met with Bonsai Logic, the vendor used at most Cape Cod transfer stations and recently by Winchester and Rockport. The system includes:

• Online permit/sticker purchase with document verification
• Optional beach sticker opt-in for residents
• Integration with a license plate reader system (“Worldwide Access”) that can flag and track non-permitted vehicles and alert police

A site visit to Winchester’s facility is scheduled for April.

Transfer station construction bid update: Filed sub-bids were re-issued after initial contractor confusion; filed sub-bids are due March 14, general contractor bids due March 21, submitted through Project Dog (online platform).

Security cameras at the transfer station are now live 24 hours a day, with feeds going to the Health Director’s desk; expansion to the scale house and police department is in progress.

The board approved a license agreement for a private connection to the town drainage system between the town and the property owner at 51 Ocean Avenue. The agreement allows a sump pump connection directly to town infrastructure rather than discharging across lawns or streets.

Director Andrew presented the transfer station renovation bid timeline and structure:

Timeline

• Bid goes out: January 17
• Contractor Q&A period follows
• Bids due: February 21
• Contract award anticipated around March 12 meeting

Budget

• Total construction budget: $1.258 million
• Approximately $600,000 from the waste revolving account
• Remaining ~$658,000 from recovered funds from the original transfer station project settlement

Base Bid Components

1. Pit renovation (cladding, man shack, associated work)
2. Site work (new scale pit, concrete pad, wall work, regrading)
3. Scale house foundation

Alternates (in priority order)

1. New scale house
2. Transaction pad (for residential transactions, online payment support)
3. Swap shed pad
4. Transaction hutt building
5. Swap shed building

A resident at the mic (identified as Tom Zaro and another resident with construction expertise) raised questions about the bidding statute (Chapter 30, Section 39 vs. 149), filed sub-bids for electrical and roofing, and certification of available funds. The director noted DEP permit approval is still pending but is not required before going to bid — only before construction commences.

Board members also discussed that an additional staff member at the transfer station would be needed for the new operational model but would not by itself enable lunch-hour or Sunday operations, which would require a third person on site.

Separately, two board members reported on a visit to the Wellesley transfer station, noting it serves an effectively similar active user population (~20,000 households) to Marblehead despite Wellesley’s larger nominal population of 28,000. Key observations:

• Wellesley bales and sells sorted recyclables as a commodity, generating revenue
• Wellesley operates a bottle redemption shed and separates glass by color
• Wellesley does not offer curbside pickup, investing those savings in facility infrastructure
• Board members expressed interest in a bottle redemption program, particularly if the state bottle bill passes and redemption value rises to 10 cents (including nips)

Water & Sewer department staff (Amy) presented a photo-illustrated overview of 14 pump stations on public ways where parking obstructs emergency access. Key points:

Why access is critical: The town has 28 pump stations that run 24/7. Staff must respond within approximately 9–15 minutes when an alarm sounds. Equipment required includes large vac trucks, portable pumps (trailer-mounted, approximately table-sized), and generators (60–100 kV, up to 18-foot trailer). Cars parked in front of access points can prevent the vac truck from reaching the wet well, block manhole covers that must be open for hoses, and prevent generator cords (limited to ~20 feet) from reaching the station.

Stations identified (on public ways): Fort Beach Lane, Norman Street, Kenneth Road (end of Green Street), Green Street Station, Village Street, Shorewood, BU (unnamed), Han Street, Sumac Station (Harbor Ave), Foster Street (already has no-parking, needs tow-zone designation), Harbor Ave, Phillips (by Gulf Way), Seaview, May Street, Wilson Road, Lafayette, and Driftwood (easement access between two houses).

Proposed signage: Permanent poles and signs reading “No Parking — Tow Zone” for 20 feet year-round; expanded to 40 feet November 15–April 15 for snow-plowing clearance. No striping proposed. Approximately 18 spaces affected; roughly half already have informal no-parking markings.

The board asked that this be a public presentation only at this meeting, with a formal vote anticipated at a subsequent meeting. Staff estimated about 18 spaces affected in total.

The board approved option year three of the stormwater catch basin cleaning contract with Roadway Maintenance Services Inc. at a not-to-exceed price of $107,500. The original contract was dated May 1, 2022; this is the second and final renewal option. A separate six-month extension was also approved for Environmental Partners of Quincy for infrastructure asset management (sidewalks, ramps, signals), extending the contract to May 23, 2024.

Andrew provided the transfer station update:

• The replacement scale house trailer (10×36 ft, slightly larger than the prior 8×32 unit) is operational with heat-tape on water/sewer lines pending insulation.
• DEP responded with minor comments on the facility renovation permits and has committed to issuing permits by year-end, pending architect/engineer responses.
• The project is expected to go out to bid at the start of 2024; the board requested itemized bid breakouts (scale house, swap shed, etc.) to allow phased construction if needed.
• Holiday schedule: The transfer station will close Saturday December 23 (giving staff a long weekend through December 25), reopen Tuesday December 26, remain open Friday December 29, then close Saturday December 30 through Monday January 1, resuming January 2. Employees affected receive floating holidays or four-hour overtime call-in per union agreement.
• Stickless access system: A meeting with a vendor showed the system (camera-based license plate recognition or RFID tag) would cost significantly less than a prior $60,000 estimate reviewed five years ago. Staff plan to implement after construction is complete; the RFID approach could integrate with beach sticker access at minimal additional cost.
• Mattress fees (voted): Residents with a sticker: $35 per piece (unchanged). Non-residents: $75 per piece (matching Georgetown Transfer Station / Gmail OS rates). The board voted unanimously to approve.
• 2024 stickers available December 14.

The transfer station director provided a detailed operations update:

• New compactor has arrived on site and is shrink-wrapped pending installation
• Trailer replacement scheduled for November 30th; estimated downtime of two and a half days
• Estimated cost: just over $6,000 (approximately $2,200 for trailer, $2,000/day for contractors)
• Local contractors will be used; facility may remain partially open during work
• Construction documents have been submitted to the estimator; a three-week turnaround is expected
• Bidding will be deferred until after the new year per procurement officer recommendation
• Mass DEP has all construction documents; engineer was to follow up on approval status
• A feasibility study is planned; three engineers including Hailey and Ward will be contacted for cost estimates, potentially funded through the waste revolving account

A board member raised the need for a public-facing letter explaining past transfer station expenditures, noting that any future debt exclusion override would be difficult without transparent communication about prior project history.

Snow emergency policy: The board voted to suspend the all-night parking ban (Article 5, Section 8) and replace it with declared snow emergencies prohibiting on-street parking from midnight to 7:00 AM on days of anticipated storms. Notification via town website, CodeRed, social media, and MHTV. Policy is revocable if police chief, fire chief, town administrator, or DPW director determine it negatively impacts public safety.

Road salt MOU: The board approved entering the statewide contract VE8119 for road salt for the 2023–2024 season at $65.95/ton, down from $71.95/ton last year. The snow and ice budget is approximately $205,000 total; this is the one account legally authorized to overspend in a severe winter.

The director reported that a website redesign is in progress; the proposed structure organizes topics into clickable tabs rather than an alphabetical list. The redesign is being implemented by a part-time contractor.

Fall Leaf Collection: Postcards with all collection dates for fall and spring are available at the transfer station, Mary Alley, and the tax collector’s office. Dates are posted on the town website.

Household Hazardous Waste Day — Saturday, November 18th: | Volume | Fee | |—|—| | 0–3 gallons/pounds | $30 | | 3–10 gallons/pounds | $40 | | 10–25 gallons/pounds | $60 |

Accepted materials include oil-based paints, pesticides, and household chemicals. Fire extinguishers are not accepted. A credit card reader will be available on-site; a 3% convenience fee applies to credit card transactions.

A board member argued that the Mass DEP rule restricting construction and demolition debris to 20% of trailer volume was based on an FAQ page from June 2020 — two and a half years before the rule was enacted — and that contractors received no advance notice. The member contended that since the facility had only exceeded the 20% threshold once in five years even when larger trucks were allowed, restricting larger Marblehead contractor trucks was unnecessary and unfair to local businesses.

The director maintained that DEP compliance requires active monitoring and that restoring larger truck access would increase the risk of hitting the 20% C&D limit and drawing DEP scrutiny of all operations. A second board member said she needed more time to understand the issue and was not willing to act against the director’s recommendation.

The motion to allow the larger trucks back in received no second and was not acted upon.

Transfer Station Construction Update The director reported that an updated construction schedule was not yet available due to the architect’s attention to larger projects. A meeting with the architect was scheduled for the following day to discuss DEP permitting, construction documents, bid documents, and phasing to keep the facility operational. The compactor replacement — purchased with approximately a 30-week lead time — is expected to arrive at the contractor’s facility imminently and will be installed as part of the construction project. A new employee started that day, working Tuesday through Saturday, primarily to check stickers for commercial and residential users.

Wellesley Transfer Station Site Visit A board member and the director visited the Wellesley Transfer Station. Key observations:

• Wellesley’s facility is approximately 86+ acres vs. Marblehead’s ~13.5 acres
• Wellesley serves 28,000 residents with 14 employees; Marblehead serves 20,000 with approximately 4–5 outdoor employees
• Wellesley has a bottle redemption section generating approximately $20,000/year
• Wellesley operates a sorting floor in a fabric-skinned clear-span building (~120 ft × 100 ft) with an elevated excavator; the board noted this as the model for Marblehead’s long-term goal

Feasibility Study Vote The board unanimously voted to bring a transfer station sorting floor feasibility study to Town Meeting (calendar year 2024 / FY25). The director estimated the feasibility study at approximately $50,000 (subject to bidding). The longer-term plan would then be to seek construction funds at a subsequent Town Meeting via a debt exclusion override.

Contractor Truck Access (C&D) A board member made a motion to restore access for larger Marblehead contractor trucks that had been restricted under a Mass DEP rule limiting construction and demolition (C&D) debris to 20% of trailer volume. The director explained the operational need to track C&D loads and the risk of exceeding the 20% threshold. The motion received no second and failed.

License Plate Reader A board member raised the idea of a license plate reader system linked to the DMV (similar to EZPass) for enforcement of transfer station access. The director agreed to research pricing and engage procurement, with implementation targeted for FY2025/2026.

Curbside leaf and grass collection weeks (leaf bags only; no plastic bags, trash cans, or brush):

• Week of October 23
• Week of November 6
• Week of November 27
• Week of December 11
• Week of April 22
• Week of May 13
• Week of June 3

Collection occurs on residents’ regular trash day; one-day delay if a legal holiday falls in that week.

Household Hazardous Waste Day: Saturday, November 18 at the Marblehead Transfer Station (shared with Swampscott residents).

Latex/acrylic paint (cleanup with soap and water) is non-hazardous and can be disposed of as household trash once fully dried. A second HHW event is planned for April.

Facility Stickers

The board discussed several changes to the facility sticker program for 2024:

• Remove “Marblehead” branding — Replace with “Facility Sticker” to protect residents who prefer not to advertise their town (e.g., employees at prisons).
• Add license plate field — Sticker will include a handwritten license plate number to prevent transfer between vehicles.
• Sticker remains affixed to vehicle — No change to placement requirement.
• License-plate reader system — A stickless automated system was discussed at an estimated cost of approximately $60,000. The board noted this is not feasible for the current year but agreed to continue researching it. One previously contacted vendor (Eagle Eye) was deemed unsuitable. An older vendor called Stickless System had been quoted at approximately $60,000.
• Commercial stickers — $280 per vehicle; allow recycling of commingled material and cardboard by Marblehead businesses or businesses located in Marblehead.
• Employee safety — Board expressed concern about verbal and physical abuse of transfer station staff enforcing sticker rules; discussed cameras (noted as going live shortly) and cultural expectations.

Transfer Station Construction Contract

The board approved Additional Services No. 12 — a contract with Winter Street Architects covering:

• Civil engineering (approximately $19,000)
• Structural engineering (Goldman Milano)
• MEP engineering (Sullivan Engineering) — scale house pit structure, transaction hut ($65,000)
• Swap shop site plan (plumbing, electrical, HVAC for scale house; swap shop is electrical only)
• Construction documents, construction administration, RFIs, shop drawings, field reports, punch list, and final affidavit
• Specifications (Putnam Associates), estimating (Levitt Bucknell)

Total contract: $231,480. Passed unanimously.

Construction Timeline

The board is awaiting DEP approval. The goal is to have foundations in before winter and conduct construction during the slower winter period. The facility will remain operational throughout construction. The design targets net-zero energy, with solar panels planned in cooperation with the municipal light department.

Commercial C&D Debate

A motion was made to allow commercial trucks to deposit construction and demolition (C&D) material up to an estimated 20% of trailer capacity (marked with a visible line), consistent with DEP guidelines. The motion did not receive a second and was left on the record without a vote. The director expressed preference for completing the new facility before revisiting C&D policy.

Elaine Leahy, Executive Director of Sustainable Marblehead, presented four proposed partnership areas:

1. Community composting — Offering 50 free Black Earth compost bins (13-gallon at $29.50 value, or 4-gallon at $10 value) to new subscribers, funded by the town’s approximately $12,000 annual DEP recycling dividend grant.
2. School composting — Expanding composting programs currently operating at Marblehead High School and Veterans Middle School to elementary schools.
3. Recycling education — Annual holiday-season webinar with Andrew; potential curbside recycling audits by volunteers to address an estimated 30% contamination rate.
4. Outdoor mental health — Partnering on events encouraging walking and biking.

Andrew noted that curbside Black Earth subscriptions cost just over $100 per year (~$2/week) and divert tonnage from the solid waste stream, reducing town costs. The board expressed enthusiasm for all four initiatives.

The board approved three refund requests:

• $10 to Alessandra Donovan (14 Lincoln Park) — purchased wrong-size recyclable bin
• $75 to Mr. Flynn (11 Glover Square) — returned large recycle bin without taking a number
• $55 to Judy Carroll (8 Glendale Road) — overcharged for facility stickers (charged $185, should have been $130)

All three motions passed unanimously.

The board approved four contracts:

All were approved unanimously. The Haley Ward amendment does not extend the contract or change years two or three.

Credit Card Payments

Transfer station staff presented a proposal to adopt Square as a point-of-sale system. Key details:

• Over 400 commercial accounts currently billed monthly
• Convenience fee passed to the user: 30 cents plus 2.6–3.3% per transaction depending on payment type
• Replaces broken cash register (~$350) with Square register (~$750)
• Cash and check payments remain available with no fee
• Future phase: remote card reader with built-in printer for the residential entry booth on Green Street

The board voted unanimously to proceed.

Sticker Policy

Staff reported FY23 sticker revenue of approximately $390,000. Discussion covered:

• Whether the $80 sticker price causes some residents to avoid purchasing and sneak in
• Abatement availability for elderly and low-income residents (noted as not widely known)
• Comparison to neighboring towns to be prepared for the September agenda item

License Plate Reader

A board member described a demo of Eagle Eye Networks, a license plate recognition system. Estimated costs: ~$1,300 in materials, ~$3,500 installation, $18–$28/month for video storage (7–30 days). The system would register vehicles online and flag unpaid entries. The board voted to investigate the system.

Construction & Demolition (C&D) Debris

MassDEP limits C&D material to 20% of each trailer load. Discussion covered a proposal to mark trucks with a line at five cubic yards to create an even playing field and assist staff in monitoring the cap. The board deferred a formal vote pending a DEP conversation and agreed to place it on the September agenda.

Future Capital Items Discussed

• Sorting enclosure on the capped landfill area for C&D material (requires DEP and engineering review)
• Planning board hearing the next day on scale house, compactor building, swap shed, and new residential transaction booth on Green Street
• Target: put project out to bid September–October and begin construction before winter
• Curbside recycling contract with JRM: when it expires, disposal cost estimated at approximately $300,000 annually

A board member moved to replace the aging employee trailer at the transfer station at the same time the new compactor is installed. Discussion centered on whether to act now given uncertainty about timing and the pending construction of a permanent scale house. The director noted that moving the trailer twice should be avoided, and that coordination with the architect, plumbing, electrical, Marblehead Electric Light, Verizon, and the scale company would be needed. After debate, the motion was amended to frame the replacement as a “goal” to be coordinated with the compactor project. The motion passed unanimously. A resident, Terry Toro of 113 Jersey Street, spoke in public comment to thank the board, noting the trailer is seven years old and another winter in it could be problematic.

The board approved relocating the crosswalk on Tedesco Street in front of the Tedesco Country Club clubhouse to align with a new concrete walkway the club has installed. Tedesco Country Club agreed to pay for blacking out the old crosswalk; the town’s DPW will paint the new one. Approval was subject to ADA compliance, town regulations, and DPW Director approval.

Town Administrator Thatcher and DPW Director Amy provided a paving update. Milling is complete or in progress on Elm Street, Watson Street, Rockaway Street, Beacon Street, and Ocean Avenue. Pavers are expected on site by the end of the following week, pending weather. Motorists are warned to drive slowly around elevated manhole structures.

A small drain project on Pleasant Street is being held until Elm Street paving is complete to avoid simultaneous traffic disruptions. The town has achieved a coordinated schedule with National Grid approximately 18 months out, with three dedicated National Grid crews assigned to Marblehead. Gas utility work must precede water work, so the coordination is critical. Code Red notifications are being used on a neighborhood-targeted basis rather than town-wide where appropriate.

Thatcher also noted a new fuel station is being installed at the DPW to replace the existing one that has exceeded its life expectancy.

Town Administrator and Amy (DPW oversight) provided updates:

• Tree City USA: Marblehead received the designation for 2022, recognizing tree planting and care as a municipal priority.
• Dead tree backlog: Crew is largely caught up; addressing newly reported dead trees reactively.
• Five-year pruning plan: Developed and being implemented by John (tree crew lead); systematic geographic rotation around town.
• Stump grinding backlog: Current stump grinder is inoperable; replacement cost approximately $90,000. A pilot program will compare using outside contractors vs. purchasing a new grinder to determine cost-effectiveness.
• Water Department award: Received the DEP/EPA consecutive community service award for five consecutive years of regulatory compliance, with the final year exceeding requirements. Award followed an intensive sanitary survey. Credit given to current and former water department staff.

The health/DPW director reported on a May 4th meeting with MassDEP representatives Mark Fairbanks and Rick Spieler, along with architect Spin Wier and Ray Quinn of SciTech. The outcome was agreement to pursue a modification permit for a small handling facility capped at 15,000 tons per year (approximately 50 tons/day, roughly two trailers/day).

Key points from the update:

The automated Green Street gate is expected to be completed by end of June at a bid cost of $20,600, replacing a manual unlock process and alleviating congestion on Arnold Terrace. Staff also discussed moving toward online payments and credit card transactions at the scale house. The director noted that recycling costs—including cardboard, which has gone from earning approximately $30/ton to costing approximately $95/ton—are rising, and that a review of fees (including white goods) is planned.

Pavement Markings — K5 Corporation, $48,625 Awarded to K5 Corporation of Rockland, MA for town-wide pavement re-marking of yellow double-yellow lines and crosswalks, excluding streets scheduled for paving this year. Two bids were received; the other was disqualified for failing to acknowledge an addendum.

Storm Sewer Extension — North Grenzi and Sons Inc., $299,064.70 Awarded for a stormwater system extension on Pleasant Street connecting to the Bessemer Street drain, including two catch basins and connection lines to address flooding at several properties near the Bessemer/Village Street corner.

Catch Basin Cleaning Option Year — Roadway Maintenance Services, $107,500 Exercised option year two of a three-year contract with Roadway Maintenance Services of Plymouth, MA. The contractor attempts to reach every catch basin in town annually as required under the town’s MS4 permit.

Overnight Parking Ban for Street Cleaning Approved a 12:01 a.m.–7 a.m. parking ban on May 3–5, 2023 to facilitate annual street cleaning in the downtown, old town, and shipyard districts. Residents to be notified via signs, town website, CodeRed, and Marblehead Police Facebook.

Temporary No-Parking Zones for Tree Maintenance Approved no-parking/tow zones at Washington Square on May 12 (7 a.m.–3 p.m.) for donated pruning services by Mayor Tree Services, and Heritage Way on May 10 (rain date May 11) for town tree department work.

Waste Revolving Account The board voted to authorize up to $1,488,200 from the waste revolving account for FY24, an increase over the prior request. The additional amount covers a multi-year lease/short-term loan for a John Deere loader at the transfer station, as well as solid waste disposal and facility upgrades and repairs. Going forward, new lease vehicles will be incorporated directly into department budgets rather than the revolving account.

Freon Appliance Disposal Fee The board established a $25-per-unit fee for residents disposing of appliances containing freon (refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers). A vendor will be engaged to capture freon on-site before units are recycled as scrap metal; the vendor requires a minimum of 25 units per visit. Doors must be removed from refrigerators and freezers before drop-off. The health department noted this fills a gap — the transfer station had not previously been able to accept these items.

Transfer Station Update Health Director Petty reported a pre-application meeting with MassDEP is scheduled for the following Thursday to determine whether the reconstruction permit application would be treated as a new filing (potentially adding ~4 months) or a revised application. Architect and civil engineer will develop a firm schedule after that meeting. A resident during public comment noted concern about the pace of progress, referencing a prior timeline that projected construction completion approximately one year earlier.

Article 13 – Walls and Fences ($50,000): Identical to last year’s appropriation. DPW, Conservation, and Engineering prioritize work within the available amount. Voted unanimously.

Article 14 – Storm Drainage Construction ($400,000): Same as last year. DPW noted municipalities face increasing stormwater management requirements and that more work is always needed than funds allow. Voted unanimously.

Public Health Director Andrew Patty presented the waste budget. Key drivers:

• Solid waste disposal: Estimated just over $1.5M total; $725,491 from the general fund appropriation with $862,000 drawn from the waste revolving account
• Revolving account balance: Approximately $1.8M; commercial waste generates approximately $1M/year in receipts
• Collection contract: Currently in year 7; expires September 2026. An anticipated increase of approximately $500,000/year on renewal was flagged as a significant future cost
• Disposal rates: Commingled recycling at $95/ton; trash at approximately $117.42/ton next year
• Permit cap: 50 tons/day (15,000 tons/year); projected FY24 throughput approximately 13,500 tons

The revolving account was described as approaching a plateau; future reliance on it to offset general fund costs is limited. Commercial waste accounts for approximately 5,000 tons, roughly one-third of total volume.

Health Department (FY24 Reduced Budget: $303,879)

All employee salaries and contractual increases preserved. Primary reductions:

• Legal Services line held at $1,200 (level-service request had sought $3,500; difference ~$2,300)
• Mental health contract (Counseling Center) reduced by $10,400 (from $60,000 to $49,600)

The board discussed using ARPA funds to cover the $10,400 Counseling Center gap.

Waste Department (FY24 Reduced Budget: ~$2,625,840)

All employee salaries and contractual increases preserved. Reductions totaling $16,000:

• Repair/maintenance, non-highway vehicles: held at $10,000 (request was $20,000)
• Repair/maintenance, hauling equipment: held at $4,500 (request was $10,000)
• Landfill maintenance supplies: held at $1,000 (request was $1,500)

Both budgets approved unanimously. The board also voted to authorize the Health Director and a board member to present the budgets to the Finance Committee on April 3.

The Health Director presented a permitting and construction schedule for the transfer station renovation project, with key milestones including:

The board voted to procure a Cremallot Model CO-12, 12-yard heavy industrial compactor with a 50-horsepower power unit for $257,610 through solid-waste procurement authority (without public bid), as the vendor East Coast Compactor advised no equivalent substitute exists. The compactor carries a 30-week lead time, making immediate procurement necessary to align with the construction schedule. The original budget estimate had been as high as $385,000–$475,000.

Additional items discussed but not yet voted upon: motorization of the Green Street entrance gate (estimated ~$20,000) and interior compactor shoot/steel work (cost TBD). The Health Director emphasized minimizing the number of days the scale or compactor must be taken offline during construction.

DPW Director Amy Mercure (referenced) described the scope: the contract with Environmental Partners Group LLC of Quincy will provide professional engineering support for Marblehead’s pavement management program. Deliverables include:

• 5- and 10-year capital plan for pavement
• Utility coordination and complete streets integration
• Coordination with the pending pedestrian master plan
• Planning-level project estimates
• Bid documents for annual paving and preservation programs
• GIS roadmap updates and field training
• Prioritization matrix

The contract is for $100,000 and runs 12 months from execution. The board authorized the chair to sign on behalf of the board.

Municipal Fueling Station: The board awarded a contract to CES Northeast LLC of Albany, NY in the amount of $805,825.12 to remove two underground storage tanks (installed circa 1960) and install a new above-ground fueling system with updated key-card tracking. The project is funded by American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds previously appropriated. The fuel master station will be temporarily relocated to maintain continuous service during construction.

Engineering Services – DPW Drains: The board awarded a three-year professional engineering services contract to Haley Ward Inc. (63 Great Road, Suite 200, Maynard, MA) at an annual not-to-exceed cost of $200,000, funded from the $400,000 drain article approved at the previous year’s town meeting.

The board approved three sets of Complete Streets Committee minutes from 2019 (February, March, and November) as an administrative records cleanup. Discussion revealed the committee’s membership has lapsed and has not been replaced. Board members noted the Complete Streets program is grant-based and tied to specific design and transportation criteria; any future grant round would likely require reactivating the committee.

During the subsequent public comment period, a resident criticized the town for treating the Complete Streets policy as merely a funding stream rather than a street design philosophy encompassing pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and people of different abilities.

Tom McMahon (8th Street) and two associates, Chris Kennedy and Liam McGowan, appeared during public comment to address a state DEP regulation that took effect in the fall of 2022 restricting construction and demolition (C&D) debris drop-off at the transfer station to vehicles with a capacity of five cubic yards or less.

Their core arguments:

• The rule is logically inconsistent: the same volume of C&D debris can be brought in nine small trucks but not one larger truck.
• The regulation disadvantages small local contractors who own standard-size trucks and cannot economically replace them.
• No one from the Board of Health or the transfer station notified affected local contractors before the policy was enforced.
• The contractors are long-established Marblehead businesses and residents who pay significant taxes and fees and provide jobs locally.
• Proposed solutions included: designating specific drop-off hours for Marblehead-permitted contractors; writing to the state DEP and local legislators to push back on the rule; or purchasing a dedicated C&D sorting trailer (~$80,000 at last purchase) and approaching DEP about allowing a formal C&D recycling operation.

Health director’s response:

• The rule is a Massachusetts DEP waste-ban regulation tied to the town’s facility permit; the board did not create it.
• The ultimate direction of DEP is likely a complete ban on C&D at facilities without sorting capability.
• The original transfer station building design included a sorting floor that would have addressed this, but budget constraints resulted in only a compactor being installed.
• The director acknowledged the communication gap and expressed willingness to approach DEP about potential C&D trailer solutions and to explore what a permitted C&D operation might look like under existing contracts with Waste Management.

The board agreed to continue discussions and the health director indicated he would begin conversations with DEP about a C&D operation.

The board reviewed updated architectural renderings for the new transfer station facility. Key design changes since the previous meeting include:

• The ADA-required parking space was relocated to the south side of the scale house, allowing the building to shift north as originally preferred.
• The number of entrance doors was reduced from two to one, lowering costs and reducing air movement through the building.
• An entrance canopy/group was integrated over the remaining doorway.
• Renderings now include: the pit structure, solar panels on roofs, wind-energy poles (vibrating ‘wing terrain’ poles rather than spinning turbines) on the building exterior, the swap shop with outdoor display area, and various approach views.

The director noted all renderings and updated drawings will be posted on the town website. Security cameras are being installed at the transfer station during the current week with minimal disruption. The board noted the current project budget is $1.65 million but that a formal cost estimate awaits final design completion.

The Board of Health reviewed two transfer station fee adjustments, both effective January 1.

Mattress recycling fee: The town has recycled mattresses since 2018; as of November 1, 2022 they are legally required to be recycled and cannot be landfilled. The town contracts with UTech for recycling. Current cost to the town is approximately $18/unit plus a trucking fee (~$25 total). The board approved raising the resident fee from $25 to $35 per unit (box springs also $35). Comparable facilities range from $25–$60/unit across the state.

Non-residential solid waste disposal rate: This covers cleanouts, construction/demolition material, and commercial waste above normal household trash. The rate was raised from $210/ton to $280/ton. Georgetown’s facility charges $300/ton; Marblehead will remain below that level. Non-residents pay a $20 minimum.

The board briefly discussed the residential transfer station sticker fee, noting stickers go on sale December 19 at both the transfer station and the tax collection office, but determined it was too late to change that fee for 2023.

The director noted the current recycling contract with JRM has four years remaining; the town currently pays $95/ton for recyclables and expects a significant increase at contract renewal. Textiles were also discussed — roughly 10 tons of textiles are collected via vendor containers (Planet Aid, Red Cross, etc.), with the town receiving $0.05/pound. Magic Hat was highlighted as a community resource.

The meeting’s sole scheduled item was a design review for the Marblehead transfer station renovation. A presenter walked the board through site plans and architectural concepts prepared by designer Dana, covering:

Traffic flow

• Residential vehicles enter via Green Street; commercial trucks enter via Arnold Terrace and exit separately to prevent mixing.
• A flashing warning light (possibly sensor-triggered rather than manual) will alert residents when commercial trucks are exiting.
• An electric gate will open at 7:00 AM so vehicles queue inside the facility rather than on Green Street or Arnold Terrace.

Scale house

• Includes a scale operator office with direct sightlines to the intercom, pit, and incoming traffic.
• ADA-compliant public restroom, staff break room with mini-fridge/microwave, shower (for spill emergencies), air-lock entry vestibule, and lockers.
• Heated and cooled by an air-source heat pump; solar-ready conduit installed during construction.
• Transaction drawers at two heights (car level and truck level) modeled on a bank-style drawer; board requested a sliding window be added for friendly personal interaction.

Compactor building

• Existing steel structure retained; exterior cladding replaced with fiberglass/metal siding.
• Translucent panels on one side to allow natural light; two exhaust fans (top and bottom) to direct dust away from public areas.
• Solar panels planned for south-facing sides; thin-film roll-up solar technology proposed to address fire-department roof-access requirements.
• Permanent and removable bollards separate residential from commercial traffic zones.

Swap shed

• Building rotated from original orientation to give attendants and visitors more door-clearance space.
• Sliding doors allow items to be pulled out and displayed; visitors may also enter.
• Additional parking and marked crosswalks planned in the inbound residential lane area.
• Board members suggested proactive media outreach to highlight the community value of the swap shed.

Staff transaction kiosk

• Small building for residents dropping off items such as TVs or light bulbs; online pre-payment with receipt presentation anticipated to streamline transactions.
• Used-oil drop-off relocated to back of facility.

Vote: Motion made, seconded, and approved unanimously (members identified in transcript as Mr. NR, Ms. [unclear], and Dr. Tomball all in favor).

Follow-up items noted: Dana to explore a sliding window on the scale house; civil surveyor to confirm how far north the transaction kiosk can be shifted; design slides to be posted on the town website.

The board approved two contracts:

1. Hobbs House boiler: North Shore Heating Supply was awarded $13,892.57 for a boiler and materials for gas conversion heating at the town-owned Hobbs House at 66 Clifton Avenue, funded under Town Meeting Article 11.

2. Infrastructure Asset Management (sidewalks/ramps/signals): Environmental Partners LLC of Quincy was awarded $179,856 funded by Chapter 90 state highway funds. The firm will inventory and assess all pedestrian paths, traffic signals, and signage, and develop a pedestrian master plan integrated with the existing pavement management plan. Results will also feed into the town’s ADA Transition Plan.

DPW Director Amy McCue provided a detailed roadway update covering current project timelines and the rationale for late-season paving:

Projects nearing completion:

• Pleasant/Vine Street improvements: paving, water upgrades, and sidewalks complete; line painting and punch-list items remaining, done by early December
• Railroad right-of-way crossings at Smith/Pleasant and West Shore Drive: mostly complete, approximately two and a half weeks remaining
• Water and sewer projects: all completed for 2022
• Gas projects: Elm Street scheduled for completion in March; Tedesco scheduled for February

Fall paving schedule: Milling is complete; paving begins November 18 with completion in early December. Streets include Brookard Road, Countryside, Thompson, Leo, part of Humphrey, Ralph, Elizabeth, Ida, and part of Tedesco. These lower-rated streets were selected to maximize cost savings before the current three-year paving contract expires and new bids reflect inflationary increases in labor, fuel, trucking, and materials.

Coordination strategy: McCue explained that Marblehead’s old infrastructure (water from the late 1800s, sewer from the early 1900s, century-old light poles) requires utilities to complete work sequentially on a street, meaning a single street can take up to five years to be ready for permanent paving. She noted that consolidating Water, Sewer, Stormwater, Highway, and Tree departments under one director, and reaching out to National Grid and other utilities for coordinated capital improvement planning, is intended to reduce the number of simultaneous projects and their community impact.

Board members requested a dedicated webpage button for road project updates.

The Board of Health director gave an update on transfer station operations and upcoming fee changes:

• Mattress/box-spring recycling fee (in place since 2018) is currently $25 and is expected to increase to approximately $30–$35 at the December board meeting. The board does not want to be the cheapest option on the North Shore and attract out-of-town disposal.
• Solid waste disposal fees currently at $2.10 are also under review; a recommendation will come at the December meeting.
• Textiles ban: Clothing, bedsheets, linens, and curtains must go to recycling bins (Magic Hat at the transfer station or drop-off bins in town). Rugs and carpets are not included in the textile ban and may still go in the solid waste stream.
• Commercial recycling sticker: The board is considering a sticker system to allow Marblehead businesses to use the transfer station’s recycling area.
• Transfer station paving: Minor paving is planned within the next week or two; the facility will close briefly during that work.
• Holiday recycling tips were presented to Sustainable Marblehead on December 7; wrapping paper is not recyclable curbside.
• Household hazardous waste day: December 7 with ACV; residents sign up and pay online directly to the vendor.

The board unanimously approved amending the contract with Bowbrick Engineering and Construction LLC of Danvers to extend the term to December 31, 2023 and expand the scope to include engineering services and assessments related to town roadways, sidewalks, walls, fences, and other town infrastructure—with no increase to the contract amount. The expansion specifically enables work at Red’s Pond and Lee Street.

The board unanimously approved replacing the standing all-night parking ban (Article 5, Section 8) with a targeted declared-snow-emergency system. Under the new policy, on-street parking is prohibited from midnight to 7 AM only on days a snow emergency is declared. Notification will occur via the town website, Code Red automated system, social media, and MHTV. The vote is revocable by the police chief, fire chief, Town Administrator, or DPW director if it is found to negatively impact public health and safety.

The next household hazardous waste event is scheduled for Wednesday, December 7. Residents must pre-register online, answer questions, complete forms, and pay by credit card in advance.

Fall 2022 leaf collection weeks:

• Week of October 24
• Week of November 14
• Week of November 28
• Week of December 12

Spring 2023 leaf collection weeks:

• Week of April 24
• Week of May 15

Residents are encouraged to use paper leaf bags and place leaves out on their regular trash/recycling day.

The board voted unanimously to approve the First Amendment to the project management agreement with OPM Jerry Smith for the transfer station redesign. Minor grammatical corrections were noted before the vote.

The transfer station redesign update (Option B) calls for:

• Commercial traffic to enter and exit via Whitman Street
• Residential traffic to enter via Green Street and exit via Whitman
• A new scale house and staff support building joined together with good viewscapes
• Cladding of the existing pit structure exterior and installation of solar panels toward net-zero
• Replacement of the compactor ram and all surface steel
• A new staff kiosk for the residential recycling area handling TV recycling, sticker sales, and small transactions
• New automated gates on both entrances
• Relocation of the oil recycling tank to the back of the facility
• Additional parking and signage improvements

The target timeline is to go out to bid in February, no later than March, with construction beginning in spring. The sequence was confirmed as: zoning board, then planning board, then bidding.

The board reviewed the town’s waste-ban policy implementing state regulations under 310 CMR 19.017 3A. Banned materials include asphalt shingles, asphalt pavement, broken concrete, cathode ray tubes, compact fluorescent lamps, clean gypsum wallboard, commercial food waste (greater than half a ton per week), ferrous and non-ferrous metals, glass and metal containers, lead-acid batteries, leaves and yard waste, mattresses (beginning November 1), paper/cardboard, single-resin plastic containers, textiles, treated and untreated wood waste, construction and demolition materials, white goods/large appliances, and whole tires.

Enforcement tiers:

Staff described how most banned materials are recycled at or directed from the facility, including mattresses (via New Tech), metals, textiles, and yard waste. Board members suggested adding an asterisk or designation on the waste-ban list to indicate which items can be recycled at the transfer station.

Andrew reviewed current Massachusetts waste bans (monitors, TVs, recyclables, construction materials over 6 cubic yards) and two new items banned from disposal starting November 1, 2022:

• Textiles (clothing, bedsheets, rags): The facility currently collects approximately 45,000 pounds per year in six containers.
• Mattresses and box springs: Currently recycled for $25 per unit; only “contaminated” mattresses (bed bugs, heavily soiled) may be landfilled, with written log required.

Proposed enforcement policy:

• Non-account holders: warning on first offense, ban from facility on second.
• Account holders: written warning on second offense, account closure on third.

The board authorized Andrew to draft the formal policy without a separate motion.

Andrew presented a security camera contract with Signet totaling $42,128.50, funded from the $45,000 capital allocation in the waste revolving account. Cameras will cover the residential trash area, recycling poles, the scale house interior, and the front entrance. A water tower camera for the yard waste area was noted as a potential addition at extra cost. Recent incidents — a smashed window, oil disposal, and a suspicious fire — were cited as reasons for urgency. The board voted unanimously to approve the contract.

Transfer station director Andrew presented two traffic routing options for the redesigned facility:

• Option A (recommended by traffic consultant VHB, 4-0 by the transportation subcommittee): All traffic — both commercial and residential — enters via Green Street. An internal gate holds residents on-site until 7:30 a.m., preventing queuing on the public street. Approximately 700 feet of on-property queuing space available.
• Option B: Residential traffic enters and exits via Green Street; commercial traffic enters and exits via Woodman Terrace/Beacon Street.

Key operational details discussed:

• Average of approximately 60–64 commercial vehicles per day (up to ~72 on Saturdays); the majority are Class 1 (under 6,000 lbs) or Class 2 (6,000–10,000 lbs) vehicles — pickup trucks and small vans.
• Commercial vehicles must back onto a scale before and after dumping regardless of option chosen.
• A purple air quality monitoring device installed at the scale house has shown no exceedances.
• Approximately 50 diesel vehicles per day; no-idling signs planned but difficult to enforce.
• Future automation (key-tag/pass systems, cameras, online payment) discussed as part of a 50-year facility plan.

Public comment from Green Street, Waterside Road, and Arnold Terrace residents raised concerns about:

• Increased traffic and pollution on an already-congested Green Street corridor.
• Proximity of the access road to residential properties on Arnold Terrace.
• Potential development of the former Coffin School site adding future traffic.
• Adequacy of plantings/screening on the Arnold Terrace wall.

A traffic consultant present (Jerry) argued that the ~60 commercial vehicles represent only 4–6% of total daily traffic on Woodman Terrace (~1,100 vehicles/day), making Option B a “distinction without a difference” for Arnold Terrace neighbors while complicating facility design.

Vote on Option A: Failed 1 to 2 (one member in favor, two opposed). Vote on Option B: Approved 2 to 1.

Next steps: Andrew will convene the facility/architect team to advance design under Option B, consult with Dana on budget, and move toward planning board and zoning board review.

The committee reviewed a traffic study dated August 15, 2022 by VHB (with an August 24 addendum) analyzing two circulation options for the Marblehead Transfer Station.

Option A (Preferred): All residential and commercial vehicles enter via a new Green Street driveway. An electrified, remotely operated gate at Green Street would open 15–20 minutes before the 7:30 AM opening to allow on-site queuing for approximately 25–30 vehicles, eliminating spillback onto Whitman Terrace and Beacon Street.

Option B (Alternative): Residential traffic enters via Green Street; commercial/pit vehicles continue to use Whitman Terrace for entry and exit. VHB’s supplemental evaluation concluded this option still risks queuing on Whitman Terrace and potential confusion causing residential vehicles to attempt the Whitman Terrace entrance.

Traffic volumes: Counts from May 19–25, 2022 found approximately 1,100 vehicles accessed the facility on the busiest weekday. Commercial scale activity averaged about 62 vehicles per weekday, representing roughly 5–6% of total activity. Hourly commercial scale transactions ranged from 4 (7–8 AM) to 11 (10–11 AM).

Safety data: MassDOT/Marblehead Police crash records (January 2017–May 2022) showed 14 crashes near the transfer station, with 8 at the Beacon Street/Whitman Terrace intersection, most classified as sideswipes potentially related to on-street parking conflicts and facility traffic.

Abutter concerns: Richard Fosler, a resident of Whitman Terrace, stated his property is approximately 20 feet above the exhaust path of CWT (trash-hauling) trucks that currently arrive as early as 4:30 AM and noted this was an existing operational issue regardless of the chosen plan. He raised emergency vehicle access and queuing blockage as additional concerns. Committee members discussed noise, exhaust, no-idling enforcement (police indicated they do not currently enforce the idling law), and potential physical mitigation such as landscaping and fencing along the access road.

Operational items discussed:

• Automated license-plate sticker verification (similar to E-ZPass) proposed to replace manual sticker checks at entry.
• Moving transactions online to reduce on-site congestion; credit card acceptance under consideration.
• Scale house and employee break room building placement constrained by the landfill cap footprint.
• Construction targeted for late spring/early summer 2023; February bid target noted.
• Project must go before the Planning Board (and likely Zoning Board) once buildings are designed; a peer review of the VHB traffic study is expected at that stage.

Vote: The committee voted to recommend Option A to the Board of Health, with one abstention. The Board of Health has not yet met on the matter and will need to make the final decision before design work can proceed.

The DPW presented a lease-to-purchase option for a 2023 International six-wheel truck. The total vehicle cost was identified as approximately $308,691 for the truck body and $35,000 for the plow, with total lease payments of approximately $335,522 spread over five years at roughly $67,000 per year. The purchase was noted as already approved in the town budget. Payments will not begin until delivery of the truck, which faces a supply-chain delay. The board voted unanimously to approve.

The DPW presented two change orders on the L Street drainage project. Change order 1 increases the contract with the contractor by $48,843.80 to cover additional sewer repairs and a water main replacement required during drainage work; the sewer portion had previously been funded by the sewer enterprise fund. Change order 2 is a balancing change order that reduces the contract by $31,500.98 reflecting unused estimated line items. Both were approved unanimously.

Michael Santos, a transportation engineer with VHB, presented preliminary findings from an ongoing traffic impact evaluation of the proposed transfer station reconfiguration. Key data points included:

Proposed configuration: All residential and commercial traffic would enter via a new driveway off Green Street; Beacon Street would serve as exit only. Large container trucks (a handful per day) would still use Green Street. An internal gate approximately 750 feet from Green Street would allow vehicles to queue on-site rather than backing onto public roads, providing stacking for approximately 25–30 vehicles.

The study found approximately 90–95% of pit/scale users are passenger vehicles or pickup trucks; larger commercial vehicles represent at most 5–10% of scale traffic. The consultant concluded the proposed site can handle projected volumes without major intersection improvements or signals.

A board member raised the possibility of a second scale near Beacon Street to keep commercial vehicles away from residents on the access road near Arnold Terrace. The engineer noted this alternative was not fully analyzed and estimated it could cost approximately $150,000 or more, complicated by drainage and ledge concerns. The engineer characterized it as a solution with minimal traffic benefit (roughly 60–80 vehicles per day, about 5% of site traffic).

The formal traffic study, incorporating tonight’s discussion, was expected to be completed within a few weeks. The board voted to schedule a follow-up meeting for August 16 to review the final report.

The board briefly discussed a facility sticker rebate request for a resident who may have been charged $80 when the correct amount should have been $55 plus $25. The board agreed to review whether a refund policy exists. The director noted that the full transfer station committee — including town officials — would be convened for a daytime meeting, given the difficulty of assembling department heads for evening sessions.

A DPW staff member presented Marblehead’s stormwater management program, which is regulated under an EPA permit requiring six minimum control measures: public education, public involvement, illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, and good housekeeping/pollution prevention.

Key highlights included:

• Annual catch basin cleaning, with orange markers placed to indicate completed cleanings; basins filled 50% or more must be re-cleaned
• Partnership with Salem Sound Coastwatch for public education, including annual mailers with dog licenses and fourth-grade outreach
• Approximately 100 storm drain medallions installed in Old Town in partnership with a community group as part of a World Ocean Day effort
• Dry and wet weather bacteria testing at approximately 86 outfall locations; approximately 80% of dry weather testing completed this year
• GIS system being updated to track catch basin data more effectively
• Dog waste dropped into catch basins identified as a significant bacteria source, particularly on the Neck

A board member noted that the Bessom Street infrastructure project had uncovered multiple illicit connections, leading to a measurable reduction in bacteria levels at that outfall.