Diana Stricker Photo
Tasmin, Abulugma and Chair Struzinsky
Changes are on the horizon for Branford residents after officials enacted a series of new town measures.
The curbside program for plastics has been expanded, and talks have been set to discuss a new senior center.
One service won’t change — there will be no increase in sewer use fees.
Recycling
Mario Ricozzi, who chairs the Solid Waste Management Commission, announced the expansion regarding the plastics recycling program at the recent Board of Selectmen meeting.
Beginning in July, residents will be able to put out most plastics #1 through #7 with their curbside recycling. This is a change people have been requesting for years.
“The plastics end of the business has changed dramatically since we started,” Ricozzi said. Currently, the town only accepts cloudy #2 plastics such as milk jugs. Some plastics, such as motor oil containers, will still be excluded from the curbside pickup.
Ricozzi said a mailer will be going on soon to all residents explaining the changes. Several motions were passed extending contracts for solid waste hauling and disposal said the department is regrouping this year following the recent retirement of Peg Hall, who headed the department for 22 years.
Senior Center
At the same meeting, First Selectman Anthony “Unk” DaRos asked the board to approve the concept of a “building swap” that he announced a few weeks ago. The selectmen approved moving the proposal on to the RTM. The RTM already assigned the issue to the Administrative Services Committee, which under the town charter studies and makes recommendations on matters related to the executive branch and other town agencies.
One resident at the BOS meeting spoke against using the proposed location at 175 North Main St, for a senior center, saying there is too much traffic on Route 1 and residents would not be able to walk there.
“We should build a real nice senior center for all the seniors,” said George P. Dwyer, 80, a lifelong Branford resident. He called the current center “a third-class” facility. “This is not a senior center, this is awful,” he said. (Architectural plans have yet to be unveiled)
DaRos explained that nothing has been decided yet, and he wants residents to speak their mind about the senior center and the proposed building swap.
Republican Third Selectman John Opie said residents should attend Administrative Services Committee meetings to discuss the senior center. “That’s where your concerns should be voiced,” he said.
Sewer Use Fees
The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) recently voted not to increase sewer use fees.
“It’s four years at the same rate,” explained WPCA chairman Ed Struzinsky. The rates were set in 2007 when the Representative Town Meeting passed an ordinance based on recommendations from the WPCA and the town engineer.
Manny Furtado, superintendent of the sewer treatment plant, said there will be no cuts in services.
A residential customer, considered to be an equivalent dwelling unit (EDU), will be billed at a flat rate of $130 per year. Non-residential units will continue to be billed according to the size of the facility and the type of use. Bills will be mailed by August and will be payable September 1.
“Our rates are actually considerably lower than most other municipalities in the region,” said WPCA member Mark Winik.
No members of the public attended the recent public hearing which is held annually before the rates are set.
Last year, Rev Brian Mars, pastor of the Tabor Church, addressed the board on two issues. He said elderly parishioners felt that the sewer use fee should be based on water usage rather than on a flat rate, since they use less water and consequently have less sewerage use than homes with large families. In addition, Mars asked the board to change the billing procedure for churches and non-profit agencies. He said a fee based on water consumption would be more equitable.
Struzinsky explained last year that it would be more expensive to base rates on water usage, since fees from the Regional Water Authority for the data would be costly.
Prior to billing changes four years ago, residents paid for sewer use as part of their property taxes. Before the sewage treatment plant was upgraded, the state cited Branford for sewer overflows. As part of the settlement agreement, the state required the town to enact sewer use fees, instead of relying on a dedicated portion of property taxes. When the billing method was changed, there was a reduction in property taxes.
Town Engineer Janice Plaziak said customers who question their bills may write a letter to the WPCA. A formal appeals process through the courts is also available.
DaRos has been looking into the issue of sewer rates for customers who have concerns and is in the process of talking with the Regional Water Authority.
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