Whitman Select Board Raises Trash Fee to $435, Citing Contract Increases and Uncaptured Costs

Nov 04, 2025

WHITMAN - October 28 - The Whitman Select Board voted to increase the annual trash fee from a proposed $417 to $435, a decision that reflects both rising contract costs with the town’s solid waste hauler and an effort to recapture indirect expenses previously absorbed by taxpayers, officials announced at their October 28 meeting.

The Full Story

The increase, which includes a $25 senior discount bringing the rate to $410 for qualifying residents, emerged from a debate over how to account for the full costs of the town’s voluntary trash and recycling program. The vote followed a contentious discussion about whether to include indirect costs—estimated at approximately $30 per household—that have historically been subsidized by general taxpayers.

Town Administrator Mary Beth Carter explained that the town’s contract with its solid waste hauler had increased, prompting DPW Superintendent Bruce Martin to recommend a base rate of $417 without indirect costs, above last years $365. However, Select Board member Shawn Kain proposed a higher rate of $450 to capture administrative expenses such as barrel repairs, customer service, bill processing, and other personnel costs associated with the trash program.

“Indirect costs are a thing,” Kain told the board. “Although they can be difficult to explain and for accounting purposes they are a thing and they’re a real cost.” He noted that an experienced accountant had helped calculate these expenses and that similar indirect cost recovery is standard practice for the town’s water and sewer enterprise fund.

Board Vice Chairman Dan Salvucci expressed strong reservations about the indirect cost component, arguing that certain expenses like barrel repairs should be considered part of regular DPW operations. “If a barrel breaks and we’re offering trash pickup and it breaks, if they have to replace the barrel they have the person has to pay for it,” Salvucci said. “I think that’s part of their job. I couldn’t see to increase this.”

Board member Laura Howe acknowledged the difficult timing of any increase, noting that “people are already outraged at the price and this really hurts pocketbooks at a time that nobody has any money.” However, she indicated openness to a compromise.

After discussion, Kain proposed reducing his original request from $450 to $435 as a compromise, which would still capture some indirect costs while acknowledging concerns about affordability. The motion passed with board members agreeing that the $25 senior discount would remain in effect.

Salvucci also raised the possibility of billing trash fees twice annually rather than once, similar to how the town handles water and sewer bills and property taxes. He argued this would ease the burden on residents facing multiple large municipal bills. However, member Justin Evans noted that implementing semi-annual billing would cost an additional $6,500 in processing fees and would be better considered for implementation at the start of a full fiscal year rather than mid-cycle. The board agreed to revisit the semi-annual billing concept in future budget discussions.

In other significant business, the board adopted a new ambulance billing policy designed to improve collection rates for emergency medical services. Fire Chief Tim Clancy explained that the policy establishes clear procedures for collecting ambulance fees, writing off uncollectible accounts, and providing hardship relief.

Carter emphasized that many residents who receive ambulance services have insurance coverage but fail to provide that information to the town’s billing company, Coastal. “There’s so many there’s only so much money with Medicare and Medicaid that we can even collect,” she said. The new policy aims to capture insurance information more effectively while providing a clear process for residents facing genuine financial hardship.

Clancy noted that despite the reopening of Brockton Hospital, ambulances continue to experience long wait times at emergency rooms, which creates staffing challenges and increases costs. The policy will allow the town to pursue collections through the deputy collector’s office after Coastal has exhausted its efforts, while exempting hardship cases from aggressive collection.

The board also received a comprehensive budget update from Kain, who reported that at the one-quarter mark of fiscal year 2026, public safety departments appear to be spending in line with projections. However, he cautioned that this assessment doesn’t account for all fiscal year rhythms and noted that union contracts for police and fire have not yet been updated with cost-of-living increases, meaning potential back pay could impact the current year’s budget.

Kain outlined a strategic approach to the upcoming budget cycle that would prioritize personnel over capital projects. He recommended using one-time free cash funds to address the town’s Plymouth County retirement system liability rather than funding capital requests. “We want to I think it would really be in our best interest to use one-time free cash money towards Plymouth County retirement,” Kain explained. “In doing so basically we’d be investing in personnel and holding off on capital.”

Board member Justin Evans suggested reconsidering the town’s financial policy that allocates ten percent of certified free cash to general stabilization, proposing instead that this money be directed toward the Plymouth County retirement liability. “What good is improving our bond rating if our personnel costs are killing us,” Evans argued. The board appeared receptive to this approach as a temporary measure to avoid personnel layoffs.

Carter announced that the Department of Revenue had certified the town’s general fund free cash at $1,050,313, significantly less than the previous year due to tighter budget management. She noted that the first capital planning requests had already generated over $3 million in requests, signaling difficult decisions ahead. The water and sewer enterprise fund retained earnings were certified at $5,640,285.

Kain also provided an update on the financial situation at Whitman-Hanson Regional School District. He reported that while the district initially indicated a deficit in fiscal year 2025, their new financial management company now suggests the deficit is also occurring in the current fiscal year 2026. This has prompted the district to send formal letters warning of potential reduction in force (RIF) notices to teachers, with an emergency school committee meeting scheduled to address the crisis. Link to that meeting.

“Nobody ever wants to in the middle of the fiscal cycle lay teachers off because the major time in which you would hire teachers at the start of the school year,” Kain said. “So to have teachers or staff being laid off in the mid cycle is really really really unfortunate.” Salvucci criticized the district’s budget management, arguing they should have planned more conservatively.

In routine business, the board approved several appointments to town committees. Adam Somerville was appointed as a member of the planning board representative on the Economic Development Committee for a three-year term, while Stephen Egan was appointed as a member at large to the same committee. Both appointments filled existing vacancies and completed the full Economic Development Committee roster.

The board accepted the resignation of Frank Lynam from the DPW Building Committee, the last committee the former Town Administrator was serving on, with Salvucci praising his work on the project. “He did a great job on our DPW building committee as far as going to meetings once a week with the OPM and dealing with any issues that needed to be done and the follow through,” Salvucci said.

The board also made adjustments to the Whitman Aid to the Elderly and Disability Taxation Fund Committee, removing Sharon LoPiccolo and adding Deb Ó Broin to reflect Ó Broin’s new position as treasurer collector. Additionally, the board accepted the resignation of Michelle Winnett from the position of registrar. Salvucci offered warm remarks about Winnett’s long service to the town in multiple capacities including the recreation committee and clerk’s office.

The board approved a change of ownership for the fuel storage license at Jiffy Lube, located at 691 Bedford Street, and renewed the public entertainment on Sunday license for the Patio at Martins at 552 Washington Street.

In recognition of community media’s role in local government transparency, the board presented a proclamation to Eric Dresser of Whitman-Hanson Community Access (WHCA), celebrating the organization’s 20th anniversary and recognizing October 20 as Community Media Day. Dresser shared a video highlighting WHCA’s contributions over two decades and discussed the future of community media. The proclamation noted that WHCA “has helped to keep Whitman residents informed, connected and civically engaged” and “continues to evolve with new technology providing an essential platform for education, communication and transparency in local government.”

The board also approved utility pole installations requested by National Grid and Verizon on Washington Street, though Carter noted that the companies have outstanding invoices of $40 each that must be paid. She indicated the town would in future require both advertising fees and pole fees to be paid before scheduling public hearings.

During public forum, Veterans Agent Declan Ware invited the community to a Veterans Day event at the VFW, located at 95 Essex Street, scheduled for Sunday, November 9 from 12 to 3 p.m. Ware reported that approximately 200 people are expected and that the town of Hanson has joined the event. “Right now we’re expecting about 200 and I’ve actually gotten phone calls in the office from people all over the south shore not just the quad town,” Ware said.

The board voted to hold only one meeting in November, scheduled for November 18, which will include the annual classification hearing for the assessor’s office. Members discussed the challenges of scheduling around Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. They also discussed scheduling a special town meeting, potentially for late December or early January, pending the opening and closing of the warrant and department article submissions.

The DPW announced an open house for Saturday, November 15 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., inviting residents to tour the new state-of-the-art facility at 100 Essex Street. The board also voted to approve the Open Space and Recreation Plan 2025-2035, which was compiled by Jason Desrosier of Old Colony Planning Council. The project was funded through a $60,000 grant, split equally between OCPC and the Community Preservation Committee. Kain praised the document as “extremely thorough” and suggested it should be integrated into elementary and middle school curriculum due to its historical content.

Finally, Carter announced that Verdantas and Old Colony Planning Council will present at the November 18 meeting regarding the Regal Shoe brownfield site, updating the board on a Phase Two environmental site assessment completed in September 2025. This project was made possible through a grant awarded to OCPC.

Why It Matters

The $18 annual increase in the trash fee—from the proposed $417 to the approved $435—directly impacts approximately 4,000 Whitman households subscribed to the voluntary trash and recycling program. While the proposed increase reflects unavoidable contract cost escalation with the town’s waste hauler, the $18 represents a policy shift toward capturing some administrative costs that have historically been subsidized by general taxpayers, including residents who use private trash services or dumpsters. Seniors will continue to receive a $25 discount, bringing their rate to $410. The board’s debate highlighted the tension between achieving full cost recovery for municipal services and managing affordability during a period of rising expenses across multiple town departments. The compromise rate of $435 attempts to balance these competing priorities while the board explores longer-term solutions such as semi-annual billing to ease the burden of large one-time payments.

Meeting Minutes

Key Motions & Votes

Motion: Approval of bill and payroll warrants. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:00:59)
Motion: Acceptance of correspondence in the read file. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:01:00)
Motion: Approval of open session meeting minutes from June 24, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-0-1 (Evans abstained). (Timestamp: 00:02:32)
Motion: Public hearing petition for National Grid and Verizon pole installation on Washington Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: 3-0-1 (Evans abstained due to his state position). (Timestamp: 00:03:53)
Motion: Appointment of Adam Somerville to Economic Development Committee as planning board representative for three-year term through June 30, 2026. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:11:27)
Motion: Appointment of Stephen Egan to Economic Development Committee as member at large for three-year term through June 30, 2028. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:12:11)
Motion: Acceptance of resignation of Frank Lynam from DPW Building Committee effective September 29, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:12:51)
Motion: Rescind appointment of Sharon LoPiccolo from Whitman Aid to Elderly and Disability Taxation Fund Committee effective immediately. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:13:17)
Motion: Appointment of Deb Ó Broin to Whitman Aid to Elderly and Disability Taxation Fund Committee as treasurer collector effective immediately. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:13:56)
Motion: Acceptance of resignation of Michelle Winnett from position of registrar effective immediately. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:14:34)
Motion: Renewal of public entertainment on Sunday license for Indian River Associations Inc. (Patio at Martini’s) at 552 Washington Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:15:08)
Motion: Set 2026 trash fee at $435 per year (amended from original $450 proposal), with $25 senior discount. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:17:27)
Motion: Adoption of ambulance billing policy. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:36:07)
Motion: Change of ownership for Class 2 Auto Dealer’s License for KSKSH Auto Body Corporation at 1023 Temple Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:10:46)
Motion: Change of ownership for fuel storage license at Jiffy Lube, 691 Bedford Street. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:41:23)
Motion: Approval of Open Space and Recreation Plan 2025-2035. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:42:21)
Motion: Enter executive session to review and approve executive session minutes of June 24, 2025. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous roll call. (Timestamp: 00:58:02)

Public Comment

Veterans Agent Declan Ware invited the community to a Veterans Day event on Sunday, November 9, from 12 to 3 p.m. at the VFW (95 Essex Street). Ware reported that approximately 200 attendees are expected from across the South Shore region and that Hanson has joined the annual event. No other residents spoke during public forum.

What’s Next

The Select Board will hold its next meeting on November 18, 2025, which will include the annual classification hearing for the assessor’s office and a presentation from Verdantas and Old Colony Planning Council on the Phase Two environmental site assessment for the Regal Shoe brownfield site. The board will also discuss scheduling a special town meeting, likely in late December or January, following certification of free cash. The DPW will host an open house on November 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. at 100 Essex Street to showcase the new facility. The board will continue monitoring the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District budget situation as it develops. Town departments should prepare for a budget cycle that prioritizes personnel preservation over capital projects, with free cash likely directed toward Plymouth County retirement obligations rather than capital stabilization.

Disclosure: South Shore News founder Justin Evans is a current member of the Whitman Select Board.

Full meeting available via WHCA.