PELHAM — The transfer station has a new director, a new name and new resolve — to boost recycling rates and cut costs by 20 percent.
Selectmen recently chose local entrepreneur Ron Hannon to replace Bruce Mason, who retired from working at the transfer station.
Hannon, 52, was selected over 22 other applicants largely because of his experience in the trash and recycling business, Town Administrator Tom Gaydos said.
Hannon, who is being paid $52,800 a year to run the $600,000 operation, has worked for 30 years in trash, recycling and shredding.
The married father of two and 20-year Pelham resident has worked for private companies, including KTI and Casella, and owns his own shredding and recycling businesses. Hannon owned data destruction companies, including Data Grater, and has an environmental firm called RMark Inc.
The board members wanted new ideas to take root at the station and thought "Hannon seemed to have the best grasp as to how to make it happen," Gaydos said.
The town administrator said the changes already are apparent.
For one, Hannon got town departments and offices to recycle. He delivered a dozen recycling bins to Town Hall offices and is delivering a dozen to the police station, Gaydos said.
In his two weeks at the center, Hannon has changed the station's name to the Pelham Recycling Complex and had scores of trash bins removed, replacing them with a centralized recycling station.
The name change places an emphasis on recycling and away from trash, he said.
Ridding the station of recycling receptacles saves the town from paying rental fees for them and makes it easier for residents to recycle.
"Now, they pull up to one bin instead of walking to seven different places," Hannon said. "The key to recycling is make it easy."
Another key trash/recycling change is the town has hired Republic Services to haul trash for five years and Empire Recycling of Billerica to handle its recycling for one year. Waste Management previously held the town's trash and recycling contracts.
With increased recycling and less trash disposal under Hannon's plan, Gaydos said he expects to see a 20 percent savings over the next two years.
Hannon said he wanted the job because trash and recycling is what he knows, and he knows he can make changes that will benefit residents.
"When the residents come in here, they are going to say, 'Wow, what happened?'" he said.
Hannon has other ideas, too.
He plans to expand the center's swap shop, increase the picnic area, chipping brush and using it as mulch, and landscaping the grounds.
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