As Wiscasset considers going pay-as-you-throw at the transfer station, two other towns that take their trash to Wiscasset are awaiting word on how the change would impact them.

Wiscasset Town Manager Laurie Smith plans to speak with Alna selectmen tonight, Thursday, May 2, at the Alna Town Office and with Westport Island selectmen Monday, May 6, at the Westport Island Town Office. Both meetings start at 7 p.m.

Those towns' residents would pay as they throw, just as Wiscasset residents would, Smith said April 25. The upcoming contracts with both towns, for July 2013 to June 2014, would decrease due to the change, she said.

Alna's contract for 2012-13 is $70,262; Westport Island's is $71,153.

The cut will be “slight,” because the new system is not expected to be in place until January 2014, midway through the contract year, Smith said.

“The next year there were would be a greater decrease,” she said.

On June 11, Wiscasset voters will consider an ordinance change that would allow pay-as-you-throw.

Alna and Westport Island are not included in the vote. However, Alna First Selectman David Abbott said depending on how Alna would fare under the change, the board may ask residents if they want to take a fresh look at other options for disposing of solid waste.

“If we still have to pay a lot of money and are charged a fee besides, people aren't going to be very happy with that,” Abbott said. “That's double-dipping.”

“We're just waiting to see what Wiscasset actually comes up with. Once they (have) a proposal we'll run it by the town and see what they want to do,” Abbott said.

At a 2011 hearing, Alna residents overwhelmingly told selectmen they wanted to keep taking their trash to Wiscasset.

The board had explored either a switch to the Nobleboro-Jefferson Transfer Station or creating a committee that would look into the town having its own transfer station.

Westport Island First Selectman George Richardson declined to comment on pay-as-you-throw until the board has heard about it from Smith.

Wiscasset Budget Committee members have criticized pay-as-you-throw as an added tax that could lead to roadside dumping. It's part of the reason they recommend voters reject the transfer station budget selectmen have proposed. Smith has said pay-as-you-throw would be a revenue boost for the transfer station.

Susan Johns can be reached at 207-844-4633 or sjohns@wiscassetnewspaper.com.