SACO — The city is considering making an exception in its trash removal policy to allow the Dyer Library to use city trash pickup.

The Dyer Library is a nonprofit that receives funding from the city, as well as grants, fundraising efforts and an endowment. The city has budgeted $476,000 for the library this year.

City Councilor Bette Brunswick, council liaison to the library’s board of trustees, asked the council at a workshop Monday night to consider allowing the library to be granted city trash bins and be put on the city’s trash removal service.

“The library is seen by so many as a public service,” said Brunswick.

The library currently pays $120 a month for trash removal service, said Brunswick. She said it generates about five large bags of trash a week. Brunswick said the library is currently on city recycling.

According to Public Works Director Patrick Fox, agreements had been made in the past with some businesses, nonprofits and condominium complexes regarding trash removal, recycling removal, or both, and these agreements still exist.

“It is not uniform,” he said.

However, since 2009, when receiving new requests for trash removal, the city has “held the line,” and operated under existing ordinance language stating that city trash service is for residential buildings, with up to six units, on public ways, he said.

Fox said the city on a weekly basis turns down requests from businesses and nonprofits asking to be put on the city’s trash service.

City Administrator Richard Michaud said in an email to Brunswick that he would recommend discontinuing free collection services to those businesses, nonprofits and condominium associations receiving city trash services in 2016, when the city’s trash disposal contract ends.

Fox said removing the library’s trash would cost the city $150 a year.

“Operationally, we could do it, but it opens a door,” he said, and may lead to more requests from other nonprofits, which he will have to turn down.

“It would be a huge savings,” said Councilor Eric Cote.

Councilor Nathan Johnston said he “highly doubt(ed)” other organizations have people coming in off the street just to use their bathrooms.

“I consider it public,” he said.

The council will vote on a later date whether to allow the library to be put on the city’s waste disposal service.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].