I. CURBSIDE SOLID WASTE SERVICES OFFERED BY TOWN

It is the official position of the Town of Bedford that it is compelled to offer solid waste collection services to all residents located within the corporate limits of the Town for a fee determined by Town Council. 

 

1. SERVICES DEFINED.  Specific curbside collection services are defined as follows:

1. Regular curbside collection of garbage and trash from households shall occur once a week in accordance with Town Code Sec. 46-36.

2. Special curbside brush pickup service will be provided on an as needed basis in accordance with Town Code Sec. 46-37(a).

3. The Town will pick up leaves at the curbside with a mechanical leaf collector or other device in accordance with Town Code Sec. 46-37(b). 

4. A special curbside pickup service will operate for a period of one week during the spring and fall for pickup of furniture, appliances, and building material or other items resulting from home improvements performed by the owner or occupant in accordance with Town Code Sec. 46-37(c).

5. Residents shall have the right to deposit up to five hundred (500) pounds of qualified solid waste per month at the Town’s solid waste transfer station located on Orange Street.

1. TERMS OF SERVICE

1. 1. The term of residential curbside solid waste collection services shall be six (6) months (inclusive and continuous) beginning on July 1 and January 1 of each calendar year.

2. Residential curbside solid waste collection services will automatically be provided to all residents within Town limits unless a resident exercises his/her right to opt out of the service under the provisions of this ruling. 

3. Residential curbside solid waste collection service will be provided on a continuous basis and automatically renewed until such time as a written notice of intent to opt out of the service is submitted by a resident and acknowledged in writing by an officer of the Town. 

1. PAYMENT OF FEE REQUIRED.  Receipt of any service is contingent upon participation in all services enumerated within this policy and payment of the fee determined by Town Council., and residents who choose to “opt out” will forfeit their rights to any of the individual services enumerated within this policy. 

 

II. ABILITY OF RESIDENTS TO OPT OUT OF SERVICES

Residents may exercise the right to opt out of solid waste services subject to the following conditions:

 

1. WRITTEN NOTIFICATION.  Residents desiring to opt out of the services shall make their intentions known by completing a form with the Town Utility Billing Department.  Written acknowledgement of a resident’s decision to opt out shall likewise by provided by an officer of the Town.

2. DEADLINE

1. Requests to opt out of the services shall be submitted not later than June 1 for the service cycle to commence on July 1 and December 1 for the service cycle to commence on January 1 (as defined in Section I-B-1 of this ruling).

2. In conjunction with the boundary adjustment which took effect July 1, 2023, residents shall have the right to opt out of the services subject to receipt of written and verbal requests by the Public Works Department not later than the close of business on July 28, 2023.  This shall be a one-time exception to the deadline policy otherwise established by this ruling.

1. PRACTICAL EFFECTS

1. By exercising their right to opt out of the services, a resident forfeits their rights to all services defined within Section I-A of this ruling.

2. Approved requests to opt out of services shall remain in effect on an ongoing basis similar to the terms of service outlined in Section I-B-3 of this ruling (e.g., once a resident chooses to opt out of the services, they cannot resume participation unless they make a formal written request to do so).

3. Residents who opt out shall have the right to resume participation in the services subject to the following terms:

1. The terms of service established in Section I-B-1 of this ruling shall apply.

2. Town Council reserves the right to establish a fee for resumption of service that has been discontinued based on a resident’s exercise of their right to opt out.

 

III. CHANGES IN OCCUPANCY

In the event of a change in occupancy, new residents will be eligible for participation in all services under the provisions of Section I of this ruling.  In situations where participation in the services may have been discontinued by a previous resident who exercised his/her right to opt out, the new resident will have the right to receive all services immediately by completing a form with the Utility Billing Department.

 

IV. NEW RESIDENTS

Residents of newly constructed homes shall have the option to opt in or opt out of the solid waste services offered by the Town at the time of application for service.

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TOWN OF BEDFORD

Rules Governing Participation in

Residential Solid Waste Collection Services

Issued July 13, 2023

(Town Code references §46-3 and §46-5)