NORWAY – Norway-Paris Solid Waste representatives told the Budget Committee on Wednesday night that they need less money in the coming year because there’s more recycling revenue, less trucking and lower workers’ compensation rates.

“This is the third year in a row there’s a reduction,” board Treasurer Bruce Hanson said.

The waste board is asking for $263,500, or $5,338 less than this year.

Hanson said solid waste officials are benefiting from higher metal recycling prices and lower trucking costs due to better packed loads. Also helping is a decrease in legal fees and one less salaried position. It was noted there is room in the budget, however, to hire one part-time person to replace the full-timer, if needed.

Other reasons for needing less money include an increase in tipping fees for New Balance disposal and an increase in recycling waste overall.

While Selectman Les Flanders questioned what he considered a hefty $40,000 price tag for health insurance for the five employees, Hanson said each employee’s insurance is paid 100 percent. Flanders also questioned an increase in the telephone line item from $1,000 last year to $2,000. He was told the reason for the increase is due to new telephone lines that were installed to the site.

The Oxford County Regional Solid Waste Corp., which services 20 towns in Oxford County, is also seeking a fiscal 2009 budget that is less than this year. The proposed $10,250 from Norway is $462 less than last year’s appropriation of $10,712.

“The assessment (to each town) has gone down for the fifth year in a row,” said facility manager Warren Session of the 4 percent drop in member annual payments. “It’s mostly due to the drastic rise in materials we’re selling.”

The total budget is $283,400, of which $69,482 is paid by the member towns in varying amounts. The remainder of the budget is supplemented through $173,918 in revenues, $10,000 in interest income, and $30,000 in cash reserves.