Residents shown at NEWRA Clean Streets Committee meeting
The North End/Waterfront Residents’ Association Clean Streets Committee continues to do its part educating the community on how they can contribute to keeping neighborhood streets and gutters clean and how to properly put out trash and recycle during the designated hours, according to committee member Janet Gilardi.
Many efforts and programs have been attempted by the committee but the problem still exists. The same applies to pet owners not picking-up after their pets.
The Clean Streets Committee chaired by Dave Grant meets every month to tackle these and other clutter problems.
At the committee’s last meeting the group voted to present Michele Tirella it’s Good Neighbor Award for her consistent cleaning of the sidewalk and curb in front of her home and beyond. Michele is the first resident to receive this award.
Over the course of about two years, the committee has recognized numerous local businesses for doing the same, and they plan to continue the program.
The group is also inquiring about the heavily advertised mint scented trash bags that reportedly repel rodents from attempting to chew through them.
Placing information flyers in community stores advising of trash pick-up dates and times to place household trash on the sidewalks continue with some positive results according to committee member Tina Busa.
The group discussed and seems to support a current bill in the legislature that if enacted work give municipalities the power to regulated the hours of commercial trash pick-up.
Boston City Councilor Sal LaMattina will be the guest speaker at the next monthly meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 15 at 7pm at the Nazzaro Center.
The Councilor who sponsored the measure will explain the bill and answer question.
Reportedly, Senator Anthony Petruccelli8 and Representative Aaron Michelwitz support the legislation.
Anne Pistorio and others attended a public hearing and testified in favor of the bill noting “noise problems in the early morning hours that disturbs resident’s sleep.”
“Our understanding is that unlimited commercial trash removal is currently allowed in business districts. Boston includes areas where the zoning is mixed business and residential use. We believe it is reasonable to allow local regulation of the times of commercial trash removal in order to lessen the impact on residential quality-of-life in mixed use areas. Late-night noise is certainly an issue in the North End and commercial trash removal is part of that problem,” according to NEWRA officers.
One idea discussed at the meeting was to look into the idea of residents sharing trash bags resulting in less bags on the sidewalks three days a week.