By Joseph Edgerton
Staff Writer

In an effort to remain competitive with surrounding communities, the Pembroke Board of Selectmen voted to increase the town's tipping fees by 10 percent.

"It appears that other towns are actually profiting from commercial tipping fees," said Town Administrator Troy Brown. "We're going to allow commercial haulers to benefit from our tipping fees."

On Nov. 14, selectmen decided that, effective immediately, commercial waste haulers will pay Pembroke $42.94 per ton of trash, up from the previous amount of $41.

Like the other towns that entered into a cooperative with the Concord Regional Solid Waste/Resource Recovery Center in 1985, Pembroke will continue to pay the flat rate of $38.65 to the incinerator per ton of trash. The cooperative agreement will expire in 2014.

Prior to the increase in fees, there was a difference of $2.35 between the flat rate paid to the incinerator and the commercial rate billed to different haulers, the difference being used to cover administrative costs.

While other towns in the cooperative are actually profiting from commercial hauling fees, Brown said there was another reason for the decision.

"We didn't want to put a financial hardship on business owners in Pembroke," he said. "We just want to collect our full administrative costs."

Brown said a survey conducted of 11 neighboring towns revealed that the average amount charged to commercial haulers is $43.23. Allenstown charges commercial haulers $45 per ton, and Concord charges $54.50.

The decision to increase the tipping fees marks a departure from the previous opinion expressed by the selectmen. In other meetings, the selectmen had proposed a request for detailed manifests from each truck that serviced the community, and also discussed recording readings from a scale in each compactor truck.

Both measures were proposed to ensure the amount of trash removed by commercial haulers matched the town's quota at the incinerator.

Selectmen had earlier expressed concerns that Pembroke's lower tipping fees would encourage haulers to mix trash from the communities and assign more than Pembroke's fair share to the town.

At a previous meeting, Brown said, "If we increase the fee that we're charging commercial haulers, it's possible that business owners will have to pay more. On the other hand, if we charge too little, there's an incentive to charge commingled waste to Pembroke."

Brown said there is an easier and more effective solution to the problem.

"The trucks have to register with the town annually, provide a list of customers and estimate the yardage of the Dumpsters they empty," he said. "That way, the town will have a more accurate way to estimate trash tonnage."

The commercial haulers receive a bill from the town once a month.

Brown said business owners and commercial haulers will likely be unaffected by the changes in fees. He said that commercial haulers and business owners have had little to say during the process at any other selectmen meetings.

"I'm doubtful that there will be much of a reaction from business owners in town," he said. "Our town has one of the lowest commercial tipping rates in the area. I'm anticipating that there will be little effect on the business owners."