By Lisa Williams Ackley

Staff Writer

The Town of Bridgton will realize a savings of $43,181, because the ecomaine Board of Directors has voted to further reduce its outstanding debt earlier than anticipated, or by August of this year.

Bridgton Town Manager Mitch Berkowitz said, ecomaine, where the town's solid waste and recyclables are processed, has also agreed to reduce the annual assessment charge to member communities, like Bridgton, in the coming year by $1 million.

"The impact of this is a savings to Bridgton of $43,181 which has now been removed from the Fiscal Year 2013 transfer station budget request," said Berkowitz in his April 24 manager's report. "This also reduces the tax rate by about four cents per $1,000 (of valuation) and continues the efforts of the selectmen to bring in a well thought out budget while controlling the impact to the town side of the budget."

"ecomaine further reported that they brought in an additional $500,000 from their recycling operations supporting the reason why they ventured into recycling a few years ago with the single-sort program," Berkowitz said.