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Politics & Government

The Cost Of Transfer Station Now $15 Million

Health board sends proposal for less expensive trash station and landfill to the Finance Committee.

The Board of Health will submit a proposal to the Finance Committee on March 28, to spend $15.102 million to build a slimmed down trash transfer station and cap the old landfill. The Finance Committee will then review the proposal before presenting it to the Town Meeting in May.

The price tag is 30 percent lower than a similar proposal last year that was

“Althought 30 percent is a significant reduction, we would like to see more,” Matthew Herring, chairman of a special building oversight subcommittee, told the health board last month.

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Wayne Attridge, health director, echoed that sentiment. He praised the work of the well-qualified building committee and said it is hoped that the construction bids will be even lower than expected.

Once called a “Taj Mahal” of transfer stations, the project was approved last year for $22 million by the Town Meeting. But in a pro-austerity mood last June, the voters

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It was one of

The Board of Health to work with the consultants to redesign the station to get a

Herring, also a member of the town's Finance Committee, will present the new proposal in more detail than was done last year. He, other members of the subcommittee and other public officials are help campaign in support of the revised transfer station project in advance of the Town Meeting and the June override election.

Attridge said he does not expect any surprises when the landfill is capped. But he warned, “it is a very old landfill and you never know what you will find.”

Stony Brook Lane

At the Finance Committee meeting, the town will also present proposals to buy or near the landfill. Negotiations continue with three of the property owners whose property has been contaminated by the landfill. But Attridge believes they will have reached an agreement with the owners by March 28.

A fourth owner has not been willing to negotiate with the town.

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