Selectmen: 'Ludicrous' to Expect Full Trash Collection in Storm

Local roads and travelways weren’t the only things clogged and slowed due to last week’s snowstorm, as curbside trash and recycling collection wasn’t completed in numerous areas of Hampton on Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Monday.

The town, selectmen and Patch received a number of complaints about the issue, ranging from inquiries about delays in trash collection to frustration about a lack of service on their home or street.

The town has posted on its website that crews will collect remaining carts and scan for uncompleted portions of the routes — changes to which kicked in on Monday — in the coming days. Selectmen made a point Monday night, though, to state that many of the complaints weren’t warranted because the Hampton Public Works Department had to place a greater emphasis on plowing and snow removal.

"That has to have some priority," said Selectman Mike Pierce, adding that pickups were going to be challenging last week even without the snowstorms because routes had to be shifted due to the holiday. "They’re not going to get all of that picked up on one day. That’s not going to happen, even on a good day."

Chairman Dick Nichols agreed.

"To think that you’re going to keep up with something when you lose three days in a five-day week is not realistic," he said. "It’s ludicrous." 

Pierce said the roads need to be cleared during snow events and that the department’s limited personnel ranks must focus on that work before trash collection because the effectiveness of emergency response and safety efforts relies heavily on a quick response — something that would be difficult with iced-over and plowed-in roadways.

Selectman Phil Bean agreed, stating that there is a clear "descending list of priorities" for public works duties that places "safety and defending life" and property at the top.

"[Hampton] Public Works with get your trash," said Bean.

Selectman Mary-Louise Woolsey said the town "did the best" it "could" under the circumstances to both collect the trash and notify residents of delays in the collections.

Woolsey and Nichols urged residents to register for the Hampton’s automated e-mail and voicemail messaging system, which sends out alerts regarding service delays, office closures and other non-emergency changes during the event of an issue or storm event.

Residents can register for the e-mail system by clicking this link, and can register for the voicemail system by clicking this link.