KENNEBUNK – The town wants to know how people use the privately-operated transfer station on the grounds of the Public Services Department on Sea Road, and is asking for input. A survey is available online at www.kennebunkmaine.us/TransferStation. The survey was mailed to property owners with the most recent tax bill and available through April 9. People who complete the paper version of the survey may return it to the town clerk’s office.

Kennebunk established the Transfer Station Task Force to inventory current operations, how the site is used, and to offer recommendations as part of the planning process for improvements to the entire Kennebunk Public Services facility.

The survey asks participants whether they own or rent property in Kennebunk or a neighboring town, if they’re a business owner, if they currently use the transfer station, and if not, why not. It goes on to list a number of services offered at the transfer station, and asks participants to rank their importance and satisfaction level with the current site and operations. It also seeks feedback regarding the importance of having a transfer station in Kennebunk, among other questions.

“This survey is an excellent opportunity for residents, business owners and others who may use the transfer station to have their voices heard,” said select board vice-chair Wayne Berry.

The transfer station is privately operated under contract through 2025 by CPRC. While Kennebunk offers curbside collection of trash and recycling, the Transfer Station & Recycling Center operates as a regional recycling location, and offers disposal of items that cannot be picked up at curbside.

Other uses at the public services site include town-related document storage, equipment, snow and materials storage, resident access to sand and salt, a dog park, a treasure chest, and sledding hill.

Select board members and municipal staff discussed the transfer station in December, as they contemplate an upgrade to the public services facility.

“To move forward, the first decision is around the transfer station and if the board wants it to remain on this site or relocate it,” said Public Services Director Brian Laverriere in the December meeting. He said traffic flow is a considerable concern.

The select board has been looking at the public services facility for the past few years and about $2.86 million had previously been budgeted, but as it turned, out, that wasn’t nearly enough, said Laverriere. In the fall of 2019, Kennebunk contracted with Sebago Technics to assess the situation – building on a 2016 assessment, which revealed the need for new space and perhaps a rehab of the existing building.

With wetlands taking up much of the space not currently in use and other operations on the site, available land  at the current site is an issue. Dipping into the wetlands as a location for the transfer station – and paying the associated wetland impact fees – would cost about $720,000, Laverriere estimated.

The task force was formed to further explore the transfer station in more depth.

“We encourage anyone who uses the (public services) site for the transfer station or any other use to weigh in, so we can make informed recommendations on how to plan for future usage of the site based on community feedback,” said board member Shiloh Schulte.