What if you could have a hand in crafting policy for the city? What areas would you focus on? How would you achieve your goals?
Attorney Ron Mendes, board member of the Greater Lynn Chamber of Commerce, drafted a new trash ordinance for the city of Lynn. He submitted to the City Council about a month ago. I think he has done a marvelous job.
But a first draft is meant to be marked up, criticized and improved. It starts out as one man’s work, but especially in this case, it needs the input of others to make it reflect the community’s values.
I have my ideas and suggestions. What are yours?
Ron has allowed me to share the draft of the new trash ordinance with you. If you’re reading this, you have a computer and chances are you know how to use it.
If you care about the place you live, I want you to download this draft and read it. Comment on it here or mark it up in your favorite word processor and send to it me at tmsheehan@verizon.net. I’ll pass it on to him. I’ll be editing my copy this weekend.
Make suggestions. Criticize. Go to the next Ordinance committee meeting. Write to your councilor and to the city council and ask them to read it into the record.
We–this city–need an enforceable trash ordinance and then we need to roll it out with much fanfare and enforce it after a short grace period. Let’s take pride in Lynn!
Here’s the link–First Draft of New Lynn Trash Ordinance. Let’s see what you have to say.
The Lynn-side Edition 
Mary Ellen Palermo
September 17, 2012
OTHER PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
A. Each instance, in which a person disturbs, removes or collects any waste that has been placed Curbside for collection or is otherwise lawfully stored on such property, without consent of the owner thereof, shall be a violation of this Chapter.
Why can’t people take re-usable items from the trash? I see people throwing out perfectly good furniture and toys that I am sure many people would love to have. It is horrible that some people throw out good condition usable items for the landfill that are not trash but valuable goods to someone with nothing.
Margaret C.
September 18, 2012
I agree. There are only three reasons I can think of for banning this:
1. trash-pickers scattering trash when they scavenge (easily covered by fining them for littering, if they don’t leave things as neat as they found them)
2. the impression that it “brings down” a neighborhood (trivial in my opinion, considering the reuse of items is better for the environment and saves the city money on waste disposal)
3. concerns that people will take items for purposes of identity theft (the most legitimate, but don’t most of us shred anything that concerns us?)
lynnsideedition
September 19, 2012
I agree with both of you, being an unrepentant trash-picker and shredder of all sensitive documents. I’ll add your input to the discussion.
lynnsideedition
September 25, 2012
Ron Mendes explained the intent behind this section to me recently. It is to prevent people from going into trash barrels and opening bags placed curbside for collection and rooting around for bottles and such, thus disturbing said trash and leaving it vulnerable to the wind and other elements. He will try to make this clearer in the next version. Thanks for your input!