Bangor responds to complaints, expands pooper-scooper law

BANGOR – The City Council on Monday night expanded the city’s “pooper-scooper” ordinance to include all public land.

In a 5-2 vote, the council adopted the new ordinance, which would require that dog owners immediately remove waste from the street, sidewalk, the grassy area between the two, and any other public place or city-owned property.

The existing ordinance, adopted in 1984, applied only to public parks.

Supporters of the new restrictions weren’t under any illusions that dog poop would disappear from the city with the measure’s passage. But they did hope it would act as a deterrent.

“I know that at 3 a.m. I stop at a stop light even if I’m the only car on the road … because it’s a law and I’m conditioned to do so,” City Councilor Gerry Palmer said. “Hopefully this will get people – and it’s not the dogs, it’s the people – to modify their behavior.”

The penalty for violating the new rule would be not less than a $50 fine.

The expansion came in response to a number of complaints lodged by residents of the east-side Little City neighborhood weary of cleaning up after other people’s dogs or stepping in dog waste left along city sidewalks.

In her dissent, City Councilor Pat Blanchette warned that she didn’t believe the added restrictions – considered difficult to enforce – would change the behavior of the few irresponsible dog owners who don’t clean up after their pets.

“It’s a feel-good, fuzzy piece of legislation that shouldn’t be enacted and won’t accomplish what it needs to,” said Blanchette, noting that it’s the “free-spirited” cats in her neighborhood that use her flower garden as “their own personal litter box.”

“There’s nothing nastier than a cat,” continued Blanchette. “I’ll take a dog anytime.”

A committee studying the issue had considered expanding the “pooper-scooper” ordinance even further to include all private land where dog owners did not have the owner’s permission to allow a pet to leave its waste.

The private property restriction was removed last week after the city’s legal counsel advised the committee that enforcement would be difficult enough on public property, and potentially would involve the city in numerous “neighborhood feuds” should private property be included.

The new ordinance would not apply to dog owners whose physical handicap prevents them from complying with the requirements.

There are about 2,000 registered dogs in the city, according to the animal control officer.

Also on Monday, the council ratified collective bargaining agreements with two of the city’s 11 employee unions.

The new labor agreements, in the works since May, cover 60 police patrol officers and 13 motor pool employees whose contracts expired on June 30.

Both are three-year agreements that include cost-of-living adjustments of 2 percent, 3 percent and 3 percent during fiscal years 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively, according to Assistant City Manager Bob Farrar.

Negotiations are planned or are under way with six other city employee unions, Farrar said.

In other business, the council named Deborah Cyr the city’s finance director and treasurer. Cyr, who had served as deputy finance director, replaces Ron Heller, who resigned in March.