BAR HARBOR – The Town Council has endorsed a new bulky-waste pickup program to replace the town’s annual fall cleanup service.

Under a proposal by Public Works Director Chip Reeves, the highway department will pick up bulky and metal waste from residents’ homes during May and September. Pickup service will be available only on Mondays, as needed, according to Reeves’ plan.

Residents must pay a disposal fee of $15 per item and make an appointment with the department to have the waste collected.

Metal waste includes refrigerators, air conditioners and appliances, while bulky waste includes mattresses and box springs, sofas and stuffed chairs. Wooden furniture also will be accepted.

The council July 16 voted to eliminate the fall cleanup, citing both the high cost of the service – $60,000 last year – and abuse by residents and people from out of town who dumped their trash in Bar Harbor.

But after hearing concern about people who were unable to get their bulky and metal waste to the transfer station, the council Tuesday night decided on a compromise.

By requiring residents to schedule the pickup, the town will avoid piles of trash and debris along the sidewalks during the fall tourism season – another complaint about the fall cleanup program.

The council also endorsed a companion program recommended by Reeves that will allow residents to dispose of their bulky and metal waste free of charge on the last weekend of October.

While large commercial haulers will not be allowed to dump that weekend, “pickup truck weekend warriors” will be allowed, so long as they can show they’re hauling trash for a Bar Harbor resident.

In other business Tuesday, the council:

. Agreed that the town’s new planning director will work first on cleaning up the backlog of applications before the planning and appeals boards before trying to work on projects with other committees, such as comprehensive planning and traffic and parking.

Anne Krieg, planner for the town of Reading, Mass., will start her new job in Bar Harbor on Sept. 3.

. Approved a conceptual design for remodeling the finance department’s office space at the town office. Installing new air handling equipment will be part of the project to reduce high carbon dioxide levels, according to Town Manager Dana Reed.

The town assessor’s office also is being moved to the finance wing, which will necessitate not only remodeling but relocating some of the other tenants in the building, including the district attorney.

Reed and Finance Director Stan Harmon got permission to meet with designers and develop cost estimates to bring back to the council.

Voters already have approved setting aside $82,425 for the eventual repairs.

. Agreed, at the request of Mount Desert Island High School officials, to ask the state Transportation Department for a traffic study near the high school on the Eagle Lake Road, with the hope that the state would lower the speed limit near the school.

The entrance to the school is being reconstructed this summer and will result in a 90-degree entrance. Vehicles can turn into the triangular-shaped driveway without having to come to a complete stop.

Police Chief Nate Young told the council that only the state can decide whether to reduce the speed limit.