Acton Select Board weighs recycling, land purchase, and capital projects

The Acton Select Board reviewed recycling options for tin and glass at the transfer station, approved a concrete pad contract contingent on a special town meeting vote, and moved forward on buying a 4.3-acre parcel on the H Road. The board also discussed the capital plan, a parking lot accessibility design, and a scrap metal bid, and heard public comment on the Homestead exemption and town-owned land.

Key points

• The board discussed moving tin cans into the metal container and exploring glass recycling through Waste Management, with the goal of keeping glass out of the demo stream; no formal vote was taken and the board asked for written numbers.
• The board voted to award a $6,490 contract to La Verde Construction for a concrete pad at the transfer station, contingent on voter approval at a special town meeting.
• The board approved spending up to $5,250 (plus up to 10% for travel) for Sebago Design and Engineering to do a preliminary design for an ADA-accessible parking lot, citing a state notice that the current lot does not meet access requirements.
• The board approved a Phase 1 environmental study, not to exceed $3,000, for a 4.3-acre H Road property the town is considering buying for $199,000, and authorized signing the buyer representation agreement.
• The board reviewed two scrap metal bids and found the pricing structures confusing; members asked for clarification and said no changes should be made to metal handling until the bids are sorted out.
• During public comment, a resident asked about the Homestead exemption dropping from $25,000 to $21,500, and another asked whether the town owns other parcels of land that could be sold.

Next steps

• Staff will request written cost figures from Waste Management for glass recycling and follow up with the Northeastern Recycling Council.
• The board will schedule a capital plan workshop, possibly breaking it up by department, after budget work begins.
• The town will contact an environmental consultant for the Phase 1 study and have the attorney review the buyer representation agreement.
• The Finance Committee will meet next week on the land purchase and special town meeting items.
• The Town Clerk will provide a list of town-owned properties at a future meeting.

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