As one of the appointed citizens to represent you on the Mid-Coast Solid Waste Corporation Board of Directors, better known as Mid-Coast Solid Waste, I have come to the conclusion that a vote for a three- to five-year contract with ecomaine is our best available option. 

The Municipal Review Committee, of which we are currently members and represents the 187 towns sending trash to the Penobscot Energy Recovery Corporation, determined that the waste to energy incinerator will no longer be economically viable once it loses significant subsidies after March 31, 2018. 

That being said, MCSW developed a plan to evaluate our trash disposal options for post March 31.  Requests for proposals were sent out to 11 known or proposed facilities and most provided responses.  After many meetings and much debate and a previous recommendation voted down by the majority during town meeting season, the Board of Directors has crafted a compromise which would send our municipal solid waste to ecomaine in Portland at a very favorable per ton fee for the next three to five years. This compromise allows us another look at options, including potential new ones, after the dust has settled and operations can be evaluated.  

Going forward, because we pay on a per-ton basis to dispose of our trash, it only makes sense that we as a community make every effort to recycle our waste as efficiently as possible to keep our cost down.  Please consider recycling and even backyard composting as possible to help reduce all our costs. My recommendation is a yes vote for our local ballot issue to secure this compromise contract with ecomaine.

James Annis lives in Hope