Granby BoS Approves New Agreement with CRRA

In a 4-0 vote Monday, the Granby board of selectmen approved another solid-waste disposal contract with the Connecticut Resource Recovery authority.

The Central Connecticut Solid Waste Authority signed contracts with both the CRRA and Murphy Road Recycling in July, which meant that the town could choose one of the vendors or a combination of the two.

The town will pay $59.50 per ton of solid waste and recyclables during the first three years of the CRRA’s 15-year, Tier One Long Term Agreement.

“The 15-year CRRA contract is the one that is most beneficial to us,” First Selectman John E. Adams said.

Adams said that a consortium of 20 towns, including Granby, spent hundreds of hours sifting through the possible agreements and in negotiations.

“Clearly [the consortium] moved the CRRA off its proposals because we had the power of 20 towns and the CRRA needs our solid waste,” Adams said.

One selectman said that while he supported the agreement, he had some reservations about the CRRA.

“I have no problem voting [for the contract],” Desrosiers said. “The CRRA is a non-profit, but I just feel like we’re being beaten up by them all the time. They are supposed to serve us, but they don’t listen to us all the time.”

Desrosiers said that the CRRA delivering the terms of the 15-year agreement when faced with competition from Murphy Road was akin to “pulling a rabbit out of its hat.”

Nevertheless, Selectman B. Scott Kuhnly said that the process of negotiating with the CRRA was a positive one for the town.

"It's like going out to bid where it forced everyone to sharpen their pencils," Kuhnly said.

The new agreement won’t take effect until town’s current agreement with CRRA expires in November 2012.