MARION — Selectmen authorized Town Administrator Jay McGrail to sign a contract with Waste Management on June 18, revealing more details about the start of the new service in their discussion.

The town intends for Waste Management to start on Aug. 1. The waste removal company will start collecting trash with an older, rear-loading truck in August while they get new totes out to town residents.

Then, starting after Labor Day, Waste Management will switch to its typical model of automated trash trucks.

Selectmen staggered the start of the new service not only to give the company time to deliver the receptacles, but also to start collection with a smaller amount of waste after Labor Day and to allow summer residents to learn the new system when they arrive for summer 2020.

McGrail and Selectmen proposed picking a few color options for the bins and putting those options out in a poll that would be distributed through the town email list and through Facebook.

“If that’s our biggest concern [in discussing the contract],” McGrail said, “we are doing well.”

He added, “It’s a big change for Marion,” after Selectmen approved the contract.

Selectman Randy Parker agreed. “It sure is a big step,” he said.