A 15-year-old piece of equipment’s tenure is grinding to an end. Boothbay Region Refuse Disposal District trustees voted unanimously Feb. 11 to approve a $1.04 million 15-year bond to pay off a loan and buy a new grinder. In 2006, trustees bought the existing grinder and transfer station garage building. The current grinder is now spending more time in repairs resulting in trustees’ decision to replace it. Trustees held a public hearing prior to the monthly meeting. Trustees sought public input on paying off the 20-year bond which has five remaining years, and purchasing a replacement grinder. No one attended the public hearing.

Trustees will seek a 15-year bond from The First at 2.85% interest. The district will buy a Peterson 5710D grinder, priced at $965,000, $800,000 after the trade-in, according to Lewis. The new grinder is being assembled at Barry Equipment in Webster, Massachusetts with an expected March delivery. The new bond also includes $240,000 to pay off the garage building built in 2006. The current grinder will remain in operation until the new one arrives. 

In other action, trustees approved the $867,593 Giles Rubbish FY 22 budget. Based on Lewis’ revenue projections, the business will make $407 for FY 22. Lewis projected Giles Rubbish revenues to increase from $825,100 to $868,000 in the new fiscal year. 

On Jan. 19, Delta Thermo Energy, Inc. of Feasterville Trevose, Pennsylvania bought the Fiberight waste processing plant in Hampden, Lewis announced. In 2016, the Muncipal Review Committee, a non-profit conglomeration of 100-plus Maine municipalities and which BRRDD is a member of, announced their 25-year relationship with PERC (Penobscot Energy Recovery Company) in Orrington would end. The MRC entered into a 15-year agreement with Fiberight, LLC. beginning in 2018 to send its solid waste to the modern waste-to-energy plant. From the start, the new agreement had problems. Fiberight had difficulty receiving state licenses and management problems throughout its short tenure. This resulted in the local refuse district sending its solid waste to a Waste Management landfill in Norridgewock while Fiberight attempted to fix its troubled operation.

Trustees meet next at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 11 at Giles Rubbish in Boothbay.