Dive Brief:

• A group of residents recently hand-delivered a petition with 6,000 signatures of people opposed to the town's plan to sell its waste treatment plant.
• But Stratford's Town Clerk, Susan M. Pawluk, wouldn't take the petition. Town Attorney Tim Bishop said state law prohibits referendums meant to encourage towns to join regional waste treatment districts.
• Under the law, the signatures on the petition are about as pertinent "as a telephone book," Bishop said. While the attorney initially thought there would be a referendum on the matter, he found out later that state law prohibits it.

Dive Insight:

Because many local governments across the country are strapped for funds, inter-municipal cooperation such as joint police forces, regional fire departments, and other efforts between municipalities are increasingly popular. Often, these efforts make good fiscal sense for the communities involved in them. But sometimes, local or state laws must be changed to pursue such cooperative efforts. So if the Stratford dissenters really want to continue to pursue their cause, they will need to take it up with the state legislature.

According to officials, Stratford will gain $16 million in cash and $37 million bonded debt taken away once the sale is complete.