Select Board OKs Transfer Fee Hikes, HRC Bylaw

Select Board · Meeting of April 13, 2026

WINCHESTER — The Winchester Select Board approved a first round of transfer station fee hikes and sent a Human Rights Commission bylaw to Town Meeting. Chair Anthea Brady, Vice Chair William McGonigle and members Michael Bettencourt and Michelle Prior voted unanimously to raise fees for tires and appliances and pilot a voluntary glass-recycling program starting July 1, while deferring commercial rate increases. Public Works Director Robert LaBossiere said indirect transfer station costs hit $328,000 last year.

Prior noted "5,000 households are paying $300,000 in debt service" while 52 businesses pay $4,100. Resident hauler George Nowell disputed the town's equity analysis in public comment. The board also approved Building Commissioner Tom Kennedy's revised plumbing and electrical fee schedule and voted favorable positions on all 12 Select Board-sponsored Town Meeting articles ahead of the April 27 session.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of April 13, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.