Curbside pickup of trash in Oak Bluffs will be done by a private company starting in July.

Town workers previously provided the service, but, starting Tuesday, Bruno’s, will now collect residential trash pickups in order to free up highway department staff for other work, highway superintendent Richard Combra told the select board last week. 

“This allows me to use our personnel better,” he said at the board’s meeting on June 24. “I can have my guys doing doing things to beautify the Island, working in the cemetery, more picking up trash, things that I really want to focus on, not doing something that private contractors can do.”

Mr. Combra said that some residents’ collection days will change and that the price for new stickers will increase by $1.75.

Stickers, which are used for both curbside and drop-off, are available for purchase at Jim’s Package Store, Tony’s Market, Cronig’s Market and Vineyard Cash & Carry. Town stickers will be honored through the end of July.

Town administrator Deborah Potter also said that residents will be able to bring their stickers to town hall and exchange them for Bruno’s stickers for no additional cost at the end of the month.

Stickers are $7; seniors get a reduced price of $6.

More information is available on the town’s website.