METHUEN — The city is looking to charge more for the disposal of construction materials.
The City Council took up an amendment to the charter which would increase fees for individuals dropping off debris by $2 per 100 pounds during a meeting on June 1. A public hearing on the fees will be held at 6:45 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 5, at City Hall, 41 Pleasant St. The council will later take a vote on the matter.
Under the change, residents would pay $12 per 100 pounds while the commercial rate would be set at $12.50 per 100 pounds. As outlined in the city’s municipal code, the current rate is $10 per 100 pounds for residents and $12 per 100 pounds, with a $50 minimum for commercial customers.
“There are additional costs to the city for accepting construction and demolition debris as these add to the total waste tonnage that the city must pay to dispose of,” reads the ordinance.
The city accepts construction and demolition waste at the Methuen Transfer Station, 50 Huntington Ave.
The fees will be introduced as soon as the ordinance is approved.
Department of Public Works Director Patrick Bower said contractors need to provide evidence they are working in Methuen when they dispose of materials at the transfer station.
Bower said the city has gone from using one dumpster to six in recent years for construction and demolition waste.
“We are charging more to the commercial user so if we have a contractor or something that is doing work in town we are going to charge them a little bit extra because they are technically making money,” Bower said. “The residential rate is just someone doing work at their house.”
The charter levies fees for anything from air conditioners to CPUs.
A copy of the proposed amendment can be found here methuen.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3126/TO245.