Above: The DPW is again offering a walkup window for getting permit stickers – but there are some details you should know before you approach it. (2021 image by DPW’s Tammi Rice)
Southborough’s DPW began selling the 2024 Transfer Station permits/stickers this month. If you don’t have a permit yet, or want to get a jump on replacing the 2023 sticker that expires on September 15th, here are the details on this year’s changes.
The biggest news is that Southborough residents over 65 years old will no longer automatically have free access to the Transfer Station. There is also an increase in the regular fees and additional vehicle fees for the rest of us.
For those interested in what was behind the Select Board’s vote to change the fee structure, scroll down for my recap of that discussion.
New Fees
The good news is that their fee is less than 15% of what the rest of us are being charged. Plus, the Town is making it easier for residents to qualify for and get a hardship exemption. (They’ve also streamlined the paperwork for permit renewals this year.)
For most residents, the annual fee went up $15 for the first permit (to $275), plus the price per additional vehicle (up to 3) rose to $20 (from $10).
Seniors born on or before 12/31/58 will only be charged $40 for the new stickers (and $10 per additional vehicle, up to 3).
The revised hardship form to receive free stickers now simply asks that residents attest that their gross household income is less than $60K per year or that they are part of a qualifying government program.* (No proof is required.)
If you drag your feet in making the purchase, there’s no financial penalty for buying stickers after September 15th. You’ll just need to get one before you can resume using the facility. (You can buy them in-person, but those hours aren’t the same as the Transfer Station.)
You can also take care of the transaction online to get the stickers by mail (or select picking them up in person).
The DPW’s Transfer Station page has this year’s rules and regs, and all the necessary instruction links. Below are my highlights.
Streamlined Documents
The paperwork has been simplified this year for permit renewals if all the vehicles, residency, and age status remains the same. But there are documents that must be provided for anyone who is getting a first time permit, had a status change, bought a new vehicle, etc. (The image right is from the Town’s email earlier today.)
- Proof of Senior Status
- If you already proved this status last year, you won’t need to re-prove that status, since as DPW’s Tammi Rice put it, “they aren’t getting any younger!”.
- Otherwise, to get the senior discount you’ll need to provide:
- A copy of your driver’s license.
- Proof of homeownership (through a recent tax bill) or that the rent/lease is in your name (through a page of that agreement).
- Plus, you’ll need to resubmit the vehicle registrations.
- Vehicle Registrations
- If you are using all the same vehicles (and plates), and your senior/non-senior status didn’t change, you don’t need to provide registrations.
- But if you are a new permit holder, or if any of the vehicles change, you will be asked to provide registrations for all of the vehicles (up to 4). (That’s even if you just drop a vehicle.)
All of the documents can be provided through any of the payment/registration methods:
- You can purchase the sticker(s) online. (If you pay online there are transaction fees. But the DPW’s instructions include how to avoid that by following up with a check after you complete the transaction.)
- You can fill out a mail-in form and send it in with a check/money order (and necessary documents).
- You can walk up to the DPW’s outdoor window again this year at 147 Cordaville Road (in the lot on the right from the driveway to the Transfer Station).
- The hours are weekdays 8:00 am – 4:00 pm.
- To avoid a transaction fee, you’ll want to bring a check. (Otherwise there is a convenience fee for use of a credit/debit card).
- Make sure to bring copies of any necessary documents.
Select Board Decision to Change Fees
As I previously posted, the board began discussing the possible addition of fees for seniors at their June 6th meeting. On June 20th, they revisited the issue looking at figures members had analyzed in between meetings.
The Board was seeking to shift more of the fees for operating the Transfer Station to users, rather than the tax base. The board’s decision was based on the fact that many residents use private haulers rather than the Transfer Station.
Resident Cyndy Foster rejected that rationale, likening residents’ choice to choosing to send their kids to private school even though their taxes pay for public school. She recalled when the board first started charging fees years ago that it had been to cover the cost of having stickers – in order to avoid non-residents using the station. That was echoed by Tim Litt who recalled the stickers being around $7.85 when he moved to town.
Foster told the board she had a real problem with the town charging fees for the service that she believed should be covered by the tax base. And Litt pointed out that the Public Works Planning Board had at least twice studied the issue and recommended the Town fully cover the service through taxes.
Members argued that without fees users would still be paying for it through higher taxes. And they noted that the costs for disposing of (and recycling) materials has risen significantly over time.
In discussing fee specifics, member Kathy Cook presented financials for raising the regular permit price to $285 with $20 per additional car and $40/$10 for seniors. Chair Andrew Dennington suggested lowering the regular fee to $275 so that it would stay under $300 for a family with two cars.
Cook noted that was still a bargain compared to paying for a private hauler. Dennington told members that a friend in town was paying $130 per quarter ($520 per year).
Based on the fee changes, Cook estimated that fees would cover over $510K of the Transfer Station costs. (That leaves about $113K of next year’s estimated cost to be covered by taxes.) Member Al Hamilton believed more residents may drop buying stickers than Cook’s figures estimated, but was in agreement with the fee plan.
*The free stickers are available to any residents who participate in one of the following programs: SNAP, SSDI/SSI, Medicaid, or TANF (formerly AFDC).
