WESTBOROUGH – During its meeting on Thursday, Aug. 1, the Select Board expressed its frustration with its trash removal company E.L. Harvey/Waste Connections over delays in securing a new contract.
A request to extend the deadline to Aug. 21 was unanimously approved, but not before the board had some things to say.
“Harvey’s has not been communicating with the town,” said Select Board member Allen Edinberg. “I think it’s important for them to know we’re watching them closely.”
Edinberg cited the decision by Harvey’s to close the transfer station at 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The change in schedule was not communicated with the town, he said.
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“That was done in bad faith,” he said. “They’re backing away from what we thought was a commitment.”
In addition, Town Manager Kristi Williams said that E.L. Harvey/Waste Connections wants to start charging the town for recyclables.
Edinberg went so far as to suggest “the town should look at contingency plans.”
“We’ve been in negotiations with them for almost a year,” he said. “I don’t have a sense that we’re actually closer [to a deal].”
Board member Shelby Marshall agreed with Edinberg. She said that Harvey’s has been made aware that its “license was on the line;” if there is no contract, there is no license, and that would affect Harvey’s entire operation in town.
Board member Ian Johnson acknowledged that contingency plans “will be tough to do” and stressed the need to strike a new deal.
“We’re at the end of the rope here,” he said. “This needs to be done.”
The Community Advocate has reached out to E.L. Harvey/Waste Connections for comment.