Burning Permit Hike Requested

Selectmen will be asked tonight to increase the fee for burning permits from $5 to $10.

The fee increase is sought to offset costs associated with the permits, including keeping the fire department open on Saturday mornings during burning season.

The request is reasonable, Town Administrator Timothy P. McInerney said in a memo, because the town charges $25 for the town dump and open burning season appears to be more costly for the town.

The responded to 29 illegal burning calls in 2010, 25 in 2011 and 12 as of April 30 of this year, the memo says.

The burning season runs from Jan. 15 to May 1. Anyone holding a permit must call the Fire Department the day they are planning to burn.

In 2010, 255 permits were issued; they were used 1,049 times. In 2011, 266 permits were issued and used 695 times. This year, 347 permits were issued.