Darien seniors who want to keep their ability to drop things off at the town transfer station (also known as Darien Recycling Center or the dump) now can get an entrance pass not associated with a particular car — useful if the senior is no longer driving and has a friend or family member helping with that.
Public Works Director Edward Gentile said some Darien seniors were having trouble continuing to use the dump without their own, but the Department of Public Works had no means of issuing passes except as car window stickers. Some DPW staff were reluctant to allow the seniors into the dump without window stickers.
He came up with the idea after seeing a similar town Parks and Recreation Department program, Gentile told the Board of Selectmen earlier this week at the selectmen’s meeting with town government department heads.
“The photo ID and the pass that is attached to it has helped our scale house guys [who watch for dump passes],” Gentile said.
“I think that’s a great […] help for senior citizens who areat home and want to stay at home who just can’t drive,” Selectman Susan Marks told Gentile.
The Department of Public Works quarterly report for April to June describes the program this way:
“We are now issuing a pass to senior citizens who are otherwise unable to drive themselves to the transfer station. The pass is issued with all requirement being met except that there is no vehicle associated with the sticker.
“The sticker is affixed to a card with the senior resident information included. The senior may then get a ride from a friend or family member to access the transfer station. The senior must be present and show [the] card and sticker to [allow the town to] avoid unauthorized access by others.
“Some seniors have requested accommodations based upon necessity, while others find value in the Swap Shop or maintaining a long-held routine in accessing the transfer station. Q4 [the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, from April to June] is of course the DPW’s busiest time of year relative to dump stickers, due to expiration on June 30 each year.”
For Seniors Over Age 65 WHO DO DRIVE: One Free Dump Permit
For those above age 65 who have cars, one permit for the dump is free. Here’s how to apply for that:
Image from Darien town government website
Application for a free senior permit for the Darien transfer station. Use the link above to see the form online.