Recycling Center's Summer Hours Sparks Dispute

In late April, the staff of Nottingham’s Recycling Center requested that the center not shift to summer hours at the beginning of May, as has been done in the past. From May to October the Recycling Center has been open Thursdays from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. The rest of the year its Thursday hours are 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The purpose of the summer hours is to provide people who work regular weekday business hours an opportunity during the hottest portion of the year to dispose of their trash and recycling sometime other than on a weekend

At the Board of Selectmen’s May 6 meeting, the board rejected the staff’s request. However, the following Thursday, the Recycling Center failed to be open for summer hours. The following Monday, the board met in a non-regularly scheduled, non-public session about a personnel issue. The Supervisor of the Recycling Center was fired the next day. The position is currently vacant.

The Recycling Center’s staff have claimed that almost no one comes in the evening hours. They claimed only five patrons came after 5:00 pm May 16. Staff members have been reported to have asked patrons to sign a petiton to eliminate the summer hours.

The Board of Selectmen will be taking up the issue of summer hours again at a future meeting.

Photo byGary ChanonUnsplash