MADISON — Selectmen are exploring the possibility and cost of operating the town’s own transfer station in an effort to reduce the municipal budget.

The town currently contracts with Waste Management Inc. of Norridgewock, and residents either hire a contractor to pick up garbage or bring it to the Norridgewock transfer station themselves.

For about the last three months, the board has been studying the feasibility of starting a town transfer station, said interim Town Manager Tim Curtis on Monday.

“We know that this year is going to be a very difficult budget year,” Curtis said. “The selectmen just asked the question, ‘Is there anything we can save in municipal solid waste?’, which is a pretty big chunk of the budget.”

The proposal would eliminate the need for “back gate” services at Waste Management, where residents bring their garbage and where the town brings recycling.

Last year the town spent about $86,000 on back gate waste and recycling, according to a presentation Curtis gave at Monday’s selectmen meeting.

The town is not exploring any changes to Waste Management’s commercial customer pickup in town, he said.

Opening a transfer station requires approval from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, which Curtis described as “quite a long process.”

In October, the town also has the option of signing a new contract with Waste Management that could save about $20,000, Curtis said.

He said the town hasn’t taken any action yet because “it’s not a clear cut and dry savings to the municipality.”

“What we might be saving here we might end up spending there,” Curtis said.

Rachel Ohm — 612-2368

rohm@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @rachel_ohm

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