Alna Third Selectman Greg Shute met with Dresden Selectmen on Tuesday to see if the two towns might collaborate on trash disposal.

“We want the best possible deal for the citizens of the town of Alna,” said Shute.

Shute said selectmen are looking to next year’s contract renewal with Wiscasset to save money for the town’s 300 households. “We are in negotiations,” he said.

Alna pays Wiscasset $87,000 annually. Shute said Alna and Westport Island each pay about 13 percent toward the station. He maintained Westport Island sends more trash due to a greater number of summer residents.

Dresden Selectman Allan Moeller Sr. said the town uses a private contractor to remove trash from the town’s transfer station. It contracts with Richmond for the recycling of white goods. He said Richmond would not likely be taking on new towns.

Moeller said some residents pay for private trash pickups by two area contractors.

Following his discussion with selectmen, Shute said Alna may also be looking to reopen its former dump on West Alna Road as a transfer station.

“We have 12 acres there,” said Shute.

In other business, the board met in executive session with town attorney Jessica Avery to discuss the stop work order issued to gravel pit owner Heather Beasley at the board’s July 9 meeting.

“There will be no work,” reiterated Moeller when the board returned to public session.

The board voted to have historian Jay Robbins look into the history of the right-of-way at the end of Ballard Road which Beasley claims she owns. 

Residents Mark and Mary Kenney asked selectmen to clear up setback issues that have stalled the sale of their property.

Moeller said the board had no authority to waive setback requirements. He said the couple should have Codes Officer James Valley visit the site and determine if there are violations.

Resident Gary Blau asked why the changes of town officers had not been corrected on the town’s website.

Town Administrator Michael Henderson said he had asked for the website to be updated and would repeat his request.

Blau asked why planned meetings with Wiscasset Ambulance Service and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office had not been scheduled. Henderson said he was still trying to establish meeting dates.