JAY — The Select Board voted Monday to enter into a contract with Archie’s Inc. of Mexico to provide curbside collection for trash and recyclables beginning Dec. 1.

The board also agreed to stop requiring clear trash bags as of Dec. 1. They also voted to sell the town’s two trash trucks to Archie’s for $105,000, which will be used to offset the $120,000 cost for the first year of privatization. Other estimates for the trucks were $82,000 and $84,000, Public Works Foreman John Johnson said.

Residents favored privatizing the service on Nov. 3 in an advisory vote to the Select Board with a vote of 457-322 to eliminate it. Currently, the town provides the service. Privatizing the service will save the town $130,000, while elimination would have saved $250,000.

The board also agreed to sell a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria, a former police cruiser that is used at the transfer station. The car will be brought to the Town Office parking lot for display. Bids will be accepted at the office.

The work week at the transfer station will be shifted to Tuesday through Saturday and will allow the town to save Saturday overtime effective Dec. 1. It is currently open Monday through Saturday. The move means the station will be closed on Mondays.

A mass mailing will be sent out to residents by the end of next week to inform them of the changes and what days Archie’s will pick up trash and recyclables, Town Manager Shiloh LaFreniere said.

Archie’s owner Alan Archibald told residents at a hearing on the curbside collection proposal in September that he would do the town’s collection in two days, which would be done every week. If a collection day falls on a holiday, trash would be collected on a different day during the same week. 

“Archie’s is really the only player in the game,” LaFreniere said before the vote to enter into a contract. 

They put out feelers to see who could provide the service, she said. There is one company that couldn’t do it at this time and another company that may be interested in bidding to provide the service in the future.

Archibald also mentioned entering into a two- to three- year contract with the town during the hearing. 

Johnson said he believes curbside pickup would be done on Thursdays and Fridays. 

Archie’s provides service for 26 towns and no complaints were found, he said.

Johnson also asked if the board planned to continue requiring clear bags for trash. It takes a lot of the workers’ time to sell clear bags and do the transaction work that goes with it, he said.

After discussion, the board opted to do away with clear bags.

Archie’s will follow the town’s rules, LaFreniere said.

The town mandates recycling and will be strengthening the ordinance that governs it, Johnson said.

Work will be done on the entire Recyclable and Waste Disposal Ordinance, LaFreniere said.

Chairman Justin Merrill reminded residents that there will be no curbside collection on Thanksgiving Day or Friday, the day after. 

Johnson noted that the transfer station will be open on Wednesday, Nov. 11, Veterans Day.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net