The people went to the polls last Thursday in Northfield to vote on whether the town should remain with its current solid waste management district or whether we should move the town into the Mad River district.

The warned article asked voters to decide whether on July 1, 2010, whether the town should withdraw its agreement for membership in the union municipal district known as the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District and enter into an agreement for solid waste management planning through membership in the Mad River Resources Management Alliance.

The voters agreed by a vote of 91 to 26 to move over to the Mad River group.

Selectboard member, Charlie Morse said that the Mad River district met just days before Northfield voters went to the polls and unanimously endorsed Northfield’s membership in their district if the voters approved it.

Mad River alliance was formed by member communities who at one time belonged to the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District. "The Mad River Alliance shares empathy with Northfield" said John Malter in a phone conversation with Mr. Morse.

The (per capita) cost of belonging to the Mad River Alliance is less than belonging to the CVSWMD, Mr. Morse noted.

Also, there is no "per ton" surcharge for trash disposal in the Mad River Alliance and this will lead to a further reduction in the per capita assessment - or a return to no charge for recycling.

Residents and commercial property owners should see a reduction in their "roll off/container" fees, he predicted.

Further, there is less bureaucracy in the Alliance than with the current district, less overhead equates to less cost.