COOPERSTOWN _ Otsego County will operate a fall cleanup program in the next two months, allowing residents to discard certain household items for free.
The program was approved Wednesday by the Otsego County Board of Representatives because the county is likely to fall more than 1,000 tons below its quota of deliveries to the Montgomery Otsego Schoharie Solid Waste Management Authority.
The county is obligated to pay for undelivered tons at the rate of $106 per ton, MOSA's tipping fee.
Rather than pay for undelivered tons, the county will now allow residents to discard furniture, rugs, carpeting, mattresses, box springs, toys, textiles, rubble, yard waste, and construction and demolition debris, including wood, wallboard, shingles, siding, plumbing and electrical fixtures.
The resolution permitting the free disposal program originated with the Solid Waste and Environmental Concerns Committee, chaired by Rep. Sam Dubben, R-Middlefield.
During a discussion before the resolution passed, Rep. Stephen Fournier, R-Milford, noted that county had adopted a similar program last year to make the best of a bad situation.
``We can't keep falling short and doing this every year,'' he said.
Rep. Donald Lindberg, R-Worcester, said that considering the shortfall, the county's best option was to go forward with the program.
``We have to pay anyway, and at least this helps us clean up the county,'' he said.
Residents will be able to take their waste to the county's two transfer stations on designated dates.
Deliveries will accepted at the Northern Transfer Station in Fly Creek from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 16, Nov. 19, Nov. 30 and Dec. 3.
``Material may be delivered in a vehicle designed for and typically recognized for family transportation to and from work, community events and the like, or an unmodified pickup truck (without side racks),'' according to memorandum from the county's Planning and Solid Waste Department.
No deliveries in dump trucks, trailers, modified pickup trucks or cargo vans will be accepted at the Northern Transfer Station.
Deliveries to the Southern Transfer Station in Oneonta will be accepted from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 5 through Dec. 16.
There is no restriction on the type of vehicle that may be used for deliveries to the Southern Transfer Station, although all loads must be covered, officials said.
