Milford Mirror

Milford votes to chip in money for garbage museum

Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 June 2011 10:59 Written by John Kovach and Jill Dion
Monday, 27 June 2011 22:25

After considerable debate, the Milford Board of Aldermen voted Monday night 12-3 to chip in up to $26,562 to keep the garbage museum in Stratford open.

The museum, which Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority (CRRA) officials say attracts up to 1,000 Milford students a year, plus other residents by way of community programs and displays, may close if participating towns don’t commit funds to keep it open next year.

“The clock ticks louder every second,” said Paul Nonnemacher, director of public affairs for the CRRA, which operates the interactive facility on Honeyspot Road Ext. in Stratford.

The CRRA Board had in May tabled a motion to close the museum July 1. Nonnemacher said the museum is $341,000 short of money to operate in 2001-12 due to increased costs, decreased fund-raising and a smaller cut from the sale of recycling commodities.

“If we don’t come up with $60,000 to $100,000 in the next week,” Nonnemacher said, “we’re done.”

Chairman Michael Pace sent letters to mayors and first selectmen in the area asking for a “contribution/investment” from each town of 75 cents per ton of garbage to keep the museum open, Nonnemacher said.

It wasn’t an easy decision for Milford’s aldermen, who spent about an hour Monday night debating the cost. Some said the museum is a quality, regional educational facility that deserves funding, while others were hesitant to spend money after just laying off city workers during the budget process.

“It seems excessive,” said Alderman Ben Blake (D-5), who several times throughout the night suggested Milford contribute about half of the requested amount.

In the end, Blake, Alderman Bill Bevan (R-4) and Phi Vetro (D-4) voted against the measure.

Bevan was adamant that following a tough budget process that saw reductions to a number of departments the city shouldn’t allocate funds to the museum. “Even if the museum was in Milford, I would still vote against this because of the cost,” he said.

The museum budget pays for a full-time educator, two part-time educators, and one education supervisor who is split between Stratford and a similar museum in Hartford.

The budget also covers supplies, utilities and part of Nonnemacher’s salary.

After debating the measure for a long time, the aldermen agreed with Alderman Brian Bier (R-1) to approve the one-time allocation but to make sure the city gives the museum no more than $26,562, just in case the CRRA should determine Milford’s share to be higher than that.

Westport has agreed to contribute $15,000, which is more than 75 cents a ton. Woodbridge has contributed $2,500, “which is what we suggested and another 25 cents,” Nonnemacher said.

Easton refused to make a contribution, he said.

The Orange Board of Selectmen voted to make a contribution, but that was rejected later by the Board of Finance.

The other towns have yet to reply.

Bridgeport has contributed a $4,180 Community Development Block Grant, Nonnemacher said. At 75 cents per ton of trash, he said, Bridgeport’s contribution under the suggested formula would total $44,817.

Based on tons of garbage.

Stratford’s contribution would be $20,061.

Fairfield’s would be $26,513.25.

Milford would give $26,562.

Monroe would donate $6,564.

Shelton’s cut would be $11,823.75.

Trumbull’s contribution would be $13,656.75.

“It we can get a couple, the picture gets a lot different,” Nonnemacher said.

The change to single-stream recycling that takes effect July 1 would more than offset the contributions, Nonnemacher said.

Communities that adopt the single-stream method see an average increase in recycling of 30%, Gary Catalano, Stratford solid waste superintendent Gary Catalano said in announcing the July 1 change to single-stream recycling.

Under single-stream, more items can be recycled.

“That would save $80,000 for the town in garbage fees,” Catalano said. “Recycling is free. Refuse is $65 a ton.”

Recyclables also do not need to be separated, leading more people to participate.

“If single-stream does what we expect for them, they’ll get this money back and then some,” Nonnemacher said. He told Milford’s aldermen that the Garbage Museum will help educate people about Single Stream recycling, and therefore help cities recycle more and thus pay less in trash disposal costs.

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