Re: Input for Seasonal Hours

September 5, 2026

Dear Fishers Islanders:

We are writing to let you know we are shifting to seasonal hours at the Transfer Station and Compost Station and we would like your input.

Fishers Island is home to roughly 250 people in the winter and close to 3,000 in July and August. Our stations, however, currently follow the same schedule year-round. The Transfer Station is open seven days a week and the Compost Station six, for a combined total of nearly 80 staffed hours per week, whether it is a Tuesday in February or a Saturday in August. In the off-season, that means attendants are on duty for long stretches with very few customers.

While the current schedule works well in the busiest months of May through September, we are exploring adjusting our open hours the rest of the year to when the Island needs them most. We also recognize that while the total number of customers certainly decreases over the winter months, some businesses actually increase their disposal activities and our year-round customers’ ability to visit our stations is often tied to their working hours, so we want to make sure any schedule changes still meet the year-round needs of the island.

How our schedule compares

To put our hours in context, we compiled the schedules of transfer stations in nearby island and coastal communities.

* Stonington, Groton, and New London all provide curbside trash and recycling pickup, so their transfer stations serve mainly bulky items and self-haulers. Fishers Island, like the other islands and East End towns listed, has no curbside service.

We are in the upper end of hours offered and are unique in operating two sites. We are one of 4 facilities open 7 days a week (joined by Southold, Shelter Island, and Nantucket). The facilities open 6 days a week are closed for one weekday (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday).

Input from you

We look forward to your input and have prepared a brief survey to help us understand which hours matter most to you, including:

  • Details about your current usage and preferred open days
  • Which existing hours you would find hardest to lose, and which you would not miss
  • Whether fewer full days or more half days would serve you better
  • Anything else about the station schedule you would like us to consider

You can complete the survey online, or pick up a paper copy from the Compost Station or Transfer Station attendant. Please respond by September 17.

We will review your responses alongside station traffic records. Any change would take effect no sooner than October 1, and we will publish any changes at both stations, around the island, on FIWMD.net, the Fog Horn, and FishersIsland.net.

Thank you for taking the time to weigh in. The District exists to serve this community, and the best schedule is shaped by the people who use it.

Sincerely,

Josh Theodore
FIWMD Manager
Joshtheodore@fiwmd.net