Public Works addresses transfer fees and hears update on City Hall renovation

Members of the Public Works Board prepare for their July meeting. | Donovan Wilson

Posted By: Donovan Wilson August 2, 2023

By Donovan Wilson

July’s Public Works meeting highlighted new regulations for the towns transfer station and some key design features for the new City Hall building.

People have permits when it comes to how they use the transfer station. There are mainly permits for residents using it for personal waste disposal and permits for people using it for commercial reasons, such as small business and landscaping. As a result of these new regulations, some people may experience reclassification and high fees for use of the transfer station.

Douglas Weber brought up the fact that he experienced reclassification due to the fact that he was disposing of a large amount of waste while cleaning out his mother’s old home when she was moved to a facility. He also chimed in with his own suggestion of charging a higher yearly rate for the permits to generate more revenue from the permits overall.

One of the biggest things introduced in these new proposed regulations was the potential introduction of charging 85 cents per 10 pounds of leaves which were traditionally free. The other biggest thing was that it was also designed to help regulate people who were using resident permits for commercial use.

Two speakers raised issues with the proposals. One spoke in favor of the latter element but negatively of the former as it would greatly affect small business owners, including her husband. She highlighted that dozens of small business owners use the free leaf disposal as a major part of their plan and the new regulations should be more business friendly.

An interesting element was brought up by second speaker, whose front yard is in Plainville but whose backyard is in Bristol. He pays taxes in both towns but does receive garbage disposal from Bristol. While not decided yet, Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano did state that they would look into ways on how to handle these unique situations.

Alex Simoni wrote in via email and shared the same sentiment as Weber because he was experiencing a similar situation while doing some renovations to his home.

Ultimately, the board decided to go forward with the new plans for the transfer station with potential revisions to come. They also decided pass on leaf disposal with the intent to study the issue as they move ahead.

There was also a presentation about some key design elements of the new city hall building. The outdoor area will feature three different colors of concrete to create a unique and inviting pattern.

The interior design was also shown off, highlighting what most of the corridors will look like which includes flooring modeled after the colors of the Bristol logo.

The first floor will also feature an open layout with a corridor ceiling. Finally, the presenters showcased potential plans for the rooftop patio which included potential foliage and tiling.

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