Spearheaded by member Al DeNapoli, the Board of Selectmen next month will again look at trash collection fees as a way to save on town expenditures during the current budget crisis.
Selectmen are scheduled to speak with Health Director Robin Chapell during their March 10 meeting to consider implementing some kind of pay system for trash pickup in town.
Applying fees to trash service, Chapell said in a recent interview, could potentially eliminate Walpole's $1.5 million solid waste budget.
With the need to cut nearly $4 million from the preliminary municipal budget, Town Administrator Michael Boynton has said the town would likely need to lay off 26 town workers.
DeNapoli at each of the last three selectmen's meetings has brought up the idea of trash fees as a way to cut costs.
"There's only so much we can do," he said in a recent interview. "I know what we're doing to cut expenses. There's only so much we can do to bring in revenue."
Somewhat controversial discussions about trash fees surfaced between selectmen, the School Committee and the Finance Committee during budget time six years ago.
According to DeNapoli and Chapell, the discussions never came to a vote, but officials collectively decided they were more comfortable leaving the service in the tax base.
In March of 2003, DeNapoli said he felt implementing trash fees would be too much of a "knee-jerk" reaction.
Now, he said it's too early to tell if he would back the notion - which is why he has called for an information session.
"I'm certainly for it if it appears it will save jobs," DeNapoli said.
Chapell said there would be several options for implementing fees that would be "totally up to selectmen."
The town, however, would likely shy away from a flat rate fee, she said, in favor of a paid sticker or "pay as you throw" system.
About 150 towns in Massachusetts charge similarly for trash pick-up, according to Chapell.
Foxborough incorporates both a flat rate and sticker charge where residents pay $180 a year in addition to buying stickers that are placed on certain sized trash barrels, bags and other items.
