Sources report that the Sterling D.P.W. Board wants to limit Sterling families to one (1) trash barrel pick-up per week and impose a money penalty for anything in excess of that one (1) barrel. Of course, the D.P.W. Board lacks transparency–it hasn’t posted on the Town website any Meeting Minutes since those dated April 13, 2021.
The D.P.W. Board’s August 31, 2021 Agenda, interestingly, lists as separate items “Food Waste Collection…Handouts…On-going Discussion” and, further down, “Refuse/Recycling Contract/Totters…Awaiting contract.” https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/events/2021_08_31_dpw_agenda.pdf It appears that “Totters” is a misspelling and that the intent is to limit each family to one (1) Toters-brand trash barrel– https://www.toter.com/products/homeowners –similar to what the City of Leominster crammed down on its taxpayers/ratepayers.
We all own our own trash barrels already. Does the D.P.W. Board really think it can cram down a one-size-fits-all Toters trash barrel that we, the taxpayers/ratepayers, will have to pay for one way or another? Well, if so they are arrogant, out of touch, and have another thing coming. We can’t discern their recorded intentions because they have withheld from the public their Meeting Minutes for the past four and one-half months.
Of course, the “Food Waste Collection” bit raises another question because the D.P.W. Board’s July 13, 2021 Agenda refers to “Report on Compost Facility.” https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/agendas/dpw_agenda_7.13.21.pdf We don’t know who authored the report or what it said because, again, those Meeting Minutes have been withheld from the public. WE DO KNOW THAT D.P.W. BOARD MEMBER BLAINE BERSHAD BELONGS TO A LOCAL GREENIE GROUP CALLED “KEEPING STERLING” WHOSE MEMBER LIST HAS NOT BEEN DIVULGED TO THE PUBLIC. “KEEPING STERLING” WANTS LOCAL FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES TO BRING THEIR FOOD WASTE TO A COMPOSTING SITE HERE IN STERLING. THAT’S “BRING,” FOLKS, INDICATING THAT THEY DON’T WANT FOOD WASTE COLLECTED BY THE TOWN TRASH HAULER. THAT FITS–GREENIES ARE AUTHORITARIANS BY NATURE. https://www.telegram.com/story/news/local/the-item/2021/02/19/composting-proposal-sterling-could-reduce-waste-bring-revenue/6792068002/
If the Sterling D.P.W. Board posted its Meeting Minutes in a timely manner we might be able to determine just to what extent Blaine Bershad is in a conflict of interest on these matters.
Attend, or watch via Zoom, the August 31, 2021 Sterling D.P.W. Board Meeting, and those upcoming. These people require monitoring.
J.G.
STERLING, MASSACHUSETTS, OVERWATCH 