People will soon be able to take their recyclables to Hatch Hill landfill.

That is part of the city of Augusta’s preliminary reopening plan that also calls for the City Center to be open to the public again on June 1.

City Center has been closed to the public since mid-March due to concerns about the spread of the coronavirus. During that time, however, most workers have continued to come into work and residents have been able to conduct business with the city by telephone or online.

In a memo to councilors and department heads this week, City Manager William Bridgeo said the city hopes to reopen city hall to the public June 1. He wrote that work will take place between now and then to prepare the building to accommodate social distancing requirements imposed by executive order by Gov. Janet Mills and federal Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

Plans for reopening other city facilities will be put together soon.

“The universal prime consideration is continuing to maintain the safety of our residents/customers and of our employees,” Bridgeo wrote. “Given the wide diversity of facilities and services, there is, of course, no one size fits all strategy. As of now we are targeting June 1st for the opening of City Hall to the public and in the meantime we will be finalizing safety procedures for our employees and the public.”

Changes planned for City Center include the addition of temporary plexiglass shields at counters and workstations, as well as measures to direct pedestrian traffic so people remain at least six-feet away from each other while there.

Until City Center reopens, business can still be conducted by phone or online. A walk-up window has also been added to the building for general assistance clients seeking money to help with their basic needs such as food and housing.

Hatch Hill landfill will resume accepting recyclables starting Monday around noon. It had stopped taking recyclables as part of efforts to reduce the amount of contact between the public and employees at the city-owned facility that is used by residents and businesses of several surrounding communities.

Public Works Director Lesley Jones said a second scale house, newly built near the entrance to the facility, will allow two workers to deal with users of the landfill. Previously only one worker was able to help customers due to social distancing requirements.

Jones anticipates Hatch Hill will be busy as people who’ve been saving their recyclables may bring them in now that single sort recycling will again be available there.

“We anticipate business will be brisk and people may have to wait,” she said, noting workers will temporarily stop people from entering until some users leave the facility if it gets too crowded, similar to what some stores have done. “I’m sure people will be happy it’s back to full service and I urge people to follow social distancing.”

Hatch Hill’s previous, normal fee schedule, based primarily on the weight of what people are dropping off there, will also return. In order to try to discourage so many people coming with smaller loads during the pandemic, the facility had flat fees of $10 per car and $15 per truck that were unpopular with many users.

Brush, demolition debris and other materials previously accepted at the landfill will once again be accepted, following a period during which only household rubbish was accepted.

Hatch Hill will still only take credit or debit cards — no cash — and still be open only Monday to Friday — and closed Saturdays — measures put in place due to concerns about the coronavirus.

The public works complex, where residents could normally drop their single-sort recycling into a container, will remain closed to the public until at least June 1, leaving Hatch Hill as Augusta’s only publicly run recycling option.

Bridgeo plans to meet with other city officials next week to discuss what needs to happen to reopen and timelines for doing so at other facilities, including Lithgow Public Library, Old Fort Western and Buker Community Center, which is home to the city’s shuttered childcare programs.

Roger Audette, fire chief and emergency management director for the city, is working to secure a supply of personal protective equipment city staff could use as Augusta opens up for more face-to-face business.

« Previous

Airlines’ slump leads manufacturer to lay off 125 workers, close plant in Scarborough

Next »

Kennebec County considers adding deputies as Maine State Police withdraws local patrols