(WTIC-AM) -- To pay for some of the costs associated with the 3-month shutdown of its trash burning plant, the Materials Innovation and Recycling Authority board today scheduled fee increases for member towns that send their garbage to the Hartford facility.
The 15-percent hike will go into effect in two stages, most of it at the start of April, and at the start of July.
Authority President Tom Kirk says towns will pay an additional $11, to bring the price to $83 per ton to dispose of their trash.
"The impact to the towns, unfortunately, will be most acute because it is a change in the middle of the fiscal year," Kirk said. "Most towns have budgeted their solid waste costs months ago."
The authority had to pay to send large amounts of garbage to other facilities until one of its two failed turbines was repaired late last month.
Some towns will pay the fee increases directly to the authority, other towns hire trash haulers to cart away their garbage, and bring it to the trash-to-energy plant. In those instances the haulers may pass on the fee increases to the towns.
The authority's cash flow is tight as it waits for insurance payments it hopes will cover some of the costs of repairing two failed turbines.
There was some tension during a meeting today as board members discussed with Mayor Luke Bronin the timing of a $1.5-million dollar payment to the city of Hartford.