Community Corner

Monday Essentials: More Trash Barrel Talk Tuesday Night

What's happening in Braintree this week.

The Committee on Ways & Means will talk trash again Tuesday evening.

The committee meets at 6 p.m. Tuesday ahead of the full council's meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at Town Hall. Members will consider whether to recommend to the full council a bond authorization of $775,000 that would pay for trash and recycling bins for each Braintree household.

Officials from the mayor's office explained in detail last week the financial and environmental benefits of moving to an automated waste pickup program and the related purchase of 64-gallon trash and recycling barrels, but councilors held off on making a recommendation, deciding to wait for more information.

Members of the Committee on Ways & Means voted 3-2 to table Mayor Joseph Sullivan's request to purchase the barrels for each household at a total cost of $905,000. The town would only have to cover $775,000 with a five-year bond because it has received a $130,000 state grant.

Clifford requested a "bottom-line" break-down of the numbers involved in the barrel transaction and Braintree's new contract with Sunrise Scavenger, which took effect July 1. The delay will not affect the contract as long as the council approves the barrel purchase by its next full meeting, Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin said.

Read more about the switch to an automated pickup program.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here