Pittsfield targets illegal dumping> Big fines proposed in new ordinance

PITTSFIELD – The Town Council agenda Tuesday contains an emergency ordinance aimed at halting illegal household rubbish dumping in the town’s recycling containers.

Deeming the problem an emergency that is costing the town in cleanup costs and lost recyclable income, the council had directed Town Manager D. Dwight Dogherty to draft the ordinance after household rubbish was dumped earlier this month into two remote recycling containers, one in Somerset Plaza and another at Grove Hill.

Last week, Dogherty said the dumping was clearly intentional and aimed as a response to the town’s recent adoption of mandatory recycling.

Efforts are under way to identify the people responsible.

The emergency ordinance, which would take effect immediately, outlines exactly what cannot be placed in the two remote recycling containers and in the town-owned street trash receptacles scattered about town and in town parks.

Dogherty wrote the ordinance and said this week that it does not prohibit the normal and legitimate use of town receptacles for such items as candy wrappers, snack bags, paper cups, cigarette packages and incidental disposal. But, he said, normal household rubbish cannot be placed in town-owned containers or in privately maintained Dumpsters or rubbish containers.

The fine for violators, he said, is hefty because that is the way the council wanted it.

“The councilors are very upset about this behavior,” said Dogherty. “They want it stopped immediately.”

First-time offenders will be fined $250 to $500; second-time offenders will be fined upwards of $500.

In other business, the council will:

. Review – for the second time – a gift of land on Detroit Avenue from Dale and Kristen Penney.

First offered earlier this year as a skateboard and youth recreation park, the land was a former warehouse site. The warehouse burned and the Penneys chose to create a youth park dedicated to the memory of five deceased Pittsfield residents who had shown concerns for the town’s children.

When the gift was offered to the Town Council last September, councilors expressed concern about maintenance costs for the riverfront park. Park organizer Anna Peterson was asked to research such costs and return to the council.

Although the councilors repeatedly told Dale Penney last September that his offer was generous and appreciated, there were concerns expressed that even if the skateboard group could raise the estimated $40,000 to $60,000 to develop and outfit the park, maintenance of the facility could fall to the town.

In addition to a report on those projected costs, the councilors requested a more detailed plan on the actual setup of the park.