Commissioners may revisit transfer station arrangement with Greenville

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer
    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The closure of the Greenville landfill in 2011 also ended a cost-sharing arrangement on waste disposal with three unorganized territories: Harford’s Point, Big Moose Township and Moosehead Junction Township.

    When the town’s transfer station opened up, however, the Piscataquis County Commissioners declined to pick up any of the cost of operating it. The county already operates a transfer station in Lily Bay, so residents of the three communities were able to use that facility.
    Next week, however, commissioners plan to revisit the issue. According to County Manager Marilyn Tourtellotte, the panel will discuss whether it’s feasible to have the three UTs rejoin Greenville to operate the transfer station; close the Lily Bay facility; or continue with the arrangements already in place.
    “At the time the transfer station opened, the cost was higher for the county to join Greenville than it was to operate Lily Bay,” Tourtellotte said. “But the commissioners now think the idea is worth revisiting. So it will be on the agenda.”
    The County Commissioners will meet at the Greenville town office at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 2 and Town Manager Gary Lamb is expected to make a presentation on the options.
    According to published reports, Harford’s Point, Big Moose Township and Moosehead Junction Township signed an agreement along with Shirley and Beaver Cove to use and share the costs of the Greenville landfill in 1986.
    Greenville paid 59 percent of the disposal costs, the county paid 30 percent and the other two communities picked up the rest of the tab.
    But starting in 2006, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection began pressuring the town to close the landfill because of concerns over contamination, and it was eventually shut down two years ago.
    At its June 21 meeting, commissioner also asked Tourtellotte to contact First Wind Energy about making a presentation on the Bingham Wind Project. The proposed wind farm would consist of 62 turbines in Bingham, Mayfield Township and Kingsbury Plantation. The application was filed with the Maine DEP last week.
    Commissioners have also signed an agreement with John Crimmins to maintain the county-owned cemetery in Chesuncook Village. At their June 4 meeting, commissioners reviewed the $1,200 bid for mowing as well as spring and fall cleanup. Crimmins, who says that he lives “within walking distance of the cemetery,” has been taking care of the cemetery maintenance for the past three years.