Opinion

NSC steps to the plate

When some serious flooding took place at the Casa Maria Apartments, the local North End/West End Neighborhood Service Center (NSC) jumped right into action.

NSC staff visited the residents bearing all kinds of food to those in need of assistance.

It was a tremendous community effort by the Center that deserves praise and recognition for caring and being a good neighbor.

New North End Clean Streets Committee formed

It’s certainly not the first time that a North End Clean Streets Committee has been formed to take the bull by the horns to address the horrendous street trash problem and the improper placement of household and business trash, that simply will not go away.

The most historic site in Boston has become the dirtiest community in the City, and the newly formed committee wants something done to curb the problem.

There are many reasons for the ongoing problem. Improper trash placement on sidewalks, tourist debris, restaurant goers’ trash, poor mechanical street cleaning, trash placed by outsiders and bottle and can pickers.

Ironically, all of the above-mentioned issues are covered by City rules and regulations that include monetary fines.

This new committee appears to be clearly on its way toward becoming a viable non-profit group with a targeted goal.

At their first public meeting, organized by Boston City Counselor Lydia Edwards and chaired by her North End Community Liaison Michael Bonetti, the group elected officials setting the stage for the endeavor to move forward.

Communications, awareness, enforcement, peer pressure, elected officials’ involvement is a solid mixture to obtain positive results.

The committee appears to be determined to get things accomplished in its goal to make the North End relatively trash free no matter what it takes.

NEWRA and NEWNC have already jumped on the bandwagon with many residents. The business community needs to jump in to help make things work as well as possible. Other neighborhood organizations should also become a part of this movement as well.

Basically, everyone agrees that the North End has a real trash problem that needs immediate attention, hopefully, this new committee is the answer.

NEMPAC a community asset

Since its inception, the North End Music and Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC) has grown into a viable professional community organization.

NEMPAC not only teaches music and art to local residents and others, it provides quality entertainment throughout the neighborhood and beyond.

The non-profit organization staff and Board of Directors is recognized throughout the community as a true asset.

NEWNC moves to attract more election candidates

While the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) election of officers is still a long way off, May, NEWNC is attempting to improve its bi-laws to allow more time for residents to secure signatures on nomination forms.

The move is intended to attract more candidates by giving them more time to solicit residential signatures to be placed on the ballot.

Hopefully, the change will produce more candidates than available seats.