JAY — Selectmen are expected to make a decision on Monday on whether to eliminate the practice of picking up Dumpsters.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the town office.

Business representatives voiced concerns twice last year about the possibility of discontinuing the service, the most recent in December.

Currently, Jay provides curbside pickup for trash, recyclables and Dumpsters. There are between 45 to 50 Dumpsters that are emptied by the town. Some businesses own the containers while others pay $144 annually to rent one.

Residents overwhelmingly voted in June to keep curbside pickup after selectmen voted to eliminate it to reduce the $1.14 million transfer station budget .

The new proposal to eliminate Dumpster service would cut the budget down to under $800,000 for the transfer station, Selectman Tim DeMillo said. He is on a committee researching ways to make the transfer station more efficient.

The town is going to single-sort recycling this year, and a truck to handle both trash and recyclables has been ordered. Ecomaine plans a demonstration on the process on Tuesday, Jan. 18. Selectmen are expected to set a date Monday for the town to begin the new recycling method.

DeMillo told the board of selectmen in December that he personally will be recommending the town eliminate the practice as of July 1.

After reviewing the situation, DeMillo said he believes the town would not be able to condense five days of pickups to four days to provide one day dedicated to emptying Dumpsters. It would also be too difficult to determine who would get the service and who would not, he said. Another issue is that if businesses pay the town for the service, it won’t cover buying a new truck when needed, he said.

The town has provided the service since 1991 at the town‘s initiation.

DeMillo doesn’t believe the town should have ever gotten into the Dumpster service, he previously said.

Business representatives have requested the practice to continue and some say they are willing to pay more for it.

Selectmen will also consider on Monday a new recycling and waste disposal ordinance to go before voters in June.

[email protected]