Raymond removes its town hall dumpsters due to misuse - By Michelle Libby

As of June 22, 2015, the dumpsters located at the Raymond Town Hall will no longer be there. The dumpsters that were put there as a convenience for the staff at the town hall, but recently there has an abundance of abuse from people outside the town dropping more than just trash off, according to town manager Don Willard. 
 

The two dumpsters started as one for trash and one for recycling, but the recycling bin began being used for trash as well and the town took it out and replaced it with another trash dumpster. “Two dumpsters are more than for the town hall. It’s a kind of courtesy for the residents,” said Mike Reynolds, chair of the Board of Selectman in Raymond. 

“At the end of last summer it started to be more than we could handle. We were noticing more commercial type stuff,” Reynolds said. He said that most of the trash became items that people have to pay to dispose of like TVs and microwaves. With these items the town then had to pay to dispose of at a different location. 

This spring the problem came to a head. The dumpsters went from being emptied once a week to twice a week to everyday. Costing the town extra money to the tune of $8,000 since the beginning of the year. Some of the items dropped into the dumpsters had mail with out of town addresses on them, making Reynolds and others in the town to believe that the problem is coming from non-residents. 

Raymond residents have a curbside pick up service every week where they can put out two big barrels of trash and unlimited single sort recycling each week. Above the two trash cans, residents can purchase a sticker for another trash can or large bag. The service has been protected for those who have summer homes in Raymond. 

“We have decent weekly trash for our citizens,” said Reynolds. “It’s one of the things we want to protect.” 

 

Recently, someone tossed a huge TV into the bin without opening the lid breaking the door. “They’re not being used respectfully,” he added.  

Another concern is that Raymond Public Works is spending one hour four days a week cleaning up after the trash left at and around the dumpsters, instead of working on projects around the town.

The only place to manage the trash is with the curbside pick up and those from out of state with property in Raymond are encouraged to talk to their neighbors about helping with their trash if needed. 

“I feel bad for those who used it the way they were supposed to be used,” he said. 

A sign has been posted at the site and notices have gone out in the paper and online alerting the community to the removal of the dumpsters.