BIDDEFORD — In response to complaints from residents, the public works director has changed the hours at the Hill Street transfer station/recycling center to allow for greater flexibility for those who wish to use the services at the facility.

Although the change only took effect Sept. 2, Public Works Director Guy Casavant said, “I’ve already had some good, positive feedback.”

In April, the hours of the transfer station, which was once open seven days and 66 hours a week, were reduced to five days and 40 hours weekly.

The change was made after the implementation of the city’s curbside pick-up recycling program, which began July 1, 2013, resulted in a decrease in use of the station.

However, with the reduced hours, “certain groups of people couldn’t make that timeframe,” said Casavant.

The new hours, he said, were scheduled “to accommodate those people.”

As before, the center remains closed on Sundays and Mondays, however, it opens an hour earlier than before on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and closes an hour later than previously on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Casavant said he made the tweaks after listening to the public.

In June, city councilors said they had been getting complaints about the new hours from their constituents, who said the transfer station opened after they went to work and closed before they left their jobs for the day, making it difficult to get there.

The problem became more acute in the spring and summer, according to some councilors, because many homeowners use the station as a place to drop off yard clippings after mowing their lawn or doing yard work.

In addition to brush, grass clippings and leaves, the recycling center accepts a variety of recyclable material like glass, plastic, paper and tires. The transfer station accepts large items like furniture and appliances, demolition debris and televisions and computers.

Councilor Roger Hurtubise said he received many complaints about the reduced hours, and suggested increasing the number of days the facility was open.

Council President John McCurry said he’d also received complaints and wanted to see a change in hours.

Despite some of the disgruntlement about the reduced hours at the transfer station, which Casavant said he hopes are now being addressed, he noted in June the positive aspects of the recycling program.

A big plus, he said, is that there has been a significant reduction in the solid waste budget.

That budget was reduced by more than $230,000 from the last year’s budget to the current one.

The reduction of hours at the transfer station, along with other changes brought about by the recycling program, “helps control the (property tax) rate,” he said.

The new hours at the recycling center/transfer station at 371 Hill St. are 7 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

— Staff Writer Dina Mendros can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 324 or [email protected].