Council refers trash fee structure to Budget and Finance Committee

Select Board · Meeting of August 25, 2026

GLOUCESTER — The Gloucester City Council heard an extensive Casella Waste Systems briefing on the city's October 1 switch to automated trash and recycling collection. DPW Director Mike Hale and Casella market area manager Jack Manning answered councilor-relayed questions on toter fees ($200 for a 35-gallon bin, $300 for a 65-gallon bin annually), senior discounts, bulk-item pricing and service for disabled residents and private roads. Manning said the move away from rear-load trucks is driven by safety: "Trash collection is one of the highest fatalities in the industrial sector." Hale defended higher bulk-pickup costs, saying "it's cheaper to have the city pick it up than the furniture company" under the old pay-as-you-throw system.

The council separately voted 7-0, two members absent, to award Capt. Gus Sanfilippo three Mariner's Medals, accept a 47.9-foot height permit for Applied Materials on Dory Road, pay a $3,592.90 leftover 2019 invoice, and confirm election officers for the fall elections.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,350 words

Source: the Select Board meeting of August 25, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.