By Nick P. Angelides,Special to the Sun Journal

GREENE – Selectmen voted Monday night to increase the tire fee at the transfer station to $5 effective today.

For the past few years, Greene has been charging residents $1 to dispose of a tire. That’s less than what it costs the town to get rid of them.

Last year, the town spent $4,859 to remove tires from its transfer station.

Selectman Anthony Reny urged at a previous meeting to bump the price up to $5 a tire to help balance the town’s disposal costs.

The Solid Waste Committee recommended the fee increase.

Selectman Kevin Mower opposed it.

“What other facts does the committee have that we did not have to make that recommendation?” he asked. “Five dollars is just a guesstimate and we are not in the business of making money for collection tires.”

“What good is a Solid Waste Committee if we don’t listen to what they recommend?” Selectman Timothy Doyle asked.

Town Manager Charlie Noonan said he will monitor the cost with the possibility of lowering the fee.

“We can go down as easily as we go up,” selectmen’s Chairman Ron Grant said of the fee.

In order to help with increasing weekend traffic at the transfer station, Noonan received the green light from the board to hire a part-time worker at the station.

In other matters, there will be a baked bean benefit supper for former transfer station attendant Ted Webber, who has cancer. The event will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Androscoggin Grange on Main Street. There will also be hot dogs, casseroles and other foods for $6. There will also be an afghan raffle with $1 tickets purchased at the town office. For more information contact Carol Buzzel at 946-7746.