JAY – More than 1,800 Jay voters filled out a survey regarding Saturday transfer station hours on Election Day. The results gave Coordinator Rhonda Irish a well-rounded look at how people felt.

Irish had previously discussed reducing Saturday station hours with selectmen. A resident had suggested an exit poll to garner people’s opinions on the subject.

Using the results as guidance, Irish said, the transfer station is scheduled to remain open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays until after Jan. 10, 2004. Then for seven weeks from Jan. 17 to Feb. 28 the hours are scheduled to be 8 a.m. to noon.

And in March, Saturday hours would revert back to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Irish said the survey had a variety of questions on it and she received a multitude of answers.

Irish asked how many times do people go to the transfer station between 2 and 4 p.m. on Saturdays. She suspects some people misunderstood the question, she said, because her data doesn’t reflect some of the numbers indicated.

Answers to that question were:

• 307 never go.

• 669 between 1 and 5 times.

• 878 over five times a year.

The answers on Saturday hours were:

• 639 people indicated it didn’t matter as long as it was open for four hours.

• 629 residents favored 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round.

• 262 residents preferred 8 a.m. to noon during winter, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. during summer.

• 310 people favored 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round.

Resident Scott Shink said he worked a 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. shift, which made it difficult to get to the transfer station during scheduled hours.

He suggested the station be open one night a week.

During the week, the station is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Irish said she would be willing to consider opening a night a week during summer but not winter because the station is not equipped with proper lighting for evenings.

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