Barre Select Board authorizes K-9 grant bid, weighs transfer station takeover

BARRE -- January 16, 2018, Barre Select Board eyes transfer station takeover and clears police to seek K-9 grant. Select Board member Richard Stevens presented a cost analysis at the January 16 meeting arguing the town's contract with Solid Waste Solutions, paying $5,600 per year since 1985, falls roughly $13,400 short of the town's actual annual cost of approximately $19,000 when officer time and four-wheel-drive vehicle wear are counted. Stevens proposed the town take direct control of the facility, cut sticker fees from roughly $100 to $20, and open the site three or four days per week rather than two; Town Administrator Andrew Doiron flagged unresolved DEP permitting and professional licensure costs before any commitment is made. The board unanimously authorized Police Chief Brad Streeter to apply for a Stan Foundation K-9 grant worth up to approximately $33,000, covering a narcotics dog, training, and vehicle outfitting, with no obligation to accept any award. The board also approved raising the senior tax work-off program's hourly rate from $8 to $10 and doubling the household credit cap to $1,500, and approved a legal retainer increase to $650 per month for town counsel.