After several homeowners expressed concern over safety and having items accidentally removed from homes by scavengers, the city is hoping to approve legislation that will require scavengers to be licensed.
“The concept wasn’t to remove the scavengers…but wanted to take into effect concerns,” City Council President Martin O’Donnell said.
The legislation is based off of Fairview Park’s legislation. The city is suggesting the cost of a license be $15 per year, an amount O’Donnell said was reasonable and not prohibitive.
O’Donnell said residents approached council last year concerned that scavengers were taken items not meant for the trash, were leaving trash in disarray and were turning concerning residents that scavenger trucks appeared to be “casing” neighborhoods.
In March, an Avon Lake man's breathing machine was taken off his driveway, with police believing it may have been accidentally taken by scavengers.
Law Director Abe Lieberman said the legislation allows for a time to be determined as to what times of day scavenging will be permitted.
Councilwoman Jennifer Fenderbosch wanted a magnetic sign the sides of each licensed vehicle with "Registered Recycler" and a phone number so an individual can contact the scavenger if an item were mistakenly taken.
Legislation, which specifies unlicensed scavengers could be charged with a minor misdemeanor, will be reviewed at three public meeting before a vote is taken.
Avon Lake's trash collection is on Monday.
It pretzels itself into a mobius strip to placate the Bambiphiles, and now sets out to force scavengers to become licensed simply to remove cast-off items. What's next? A requirement for a Master's degree in refuse-sorting to obtain the city's blessing for one of civilization's oldest activities? Have your coffers become so low, your enforcement personnel so under-occupied, your cottages so overrun with rattletrap pick-up trucks that you must now send your swarms of officers to harass those who make so bold as to eke out a pittance from another's discards? Doesn't it cross your minds that you just might be adding a layer or two of governance that approaches bullying the less well-off? Would you have demanded of Ruth a license to glean the fields of Boaz? Yeah, come to think of it, you probably would.
Unless you are prepared to finance, and operate a 'trash' collection police force to continually patrol areas of collection each day/night, this legislation does nothing to address home owner concerns other than making a perfectly innocent process..illegal to many. And it's an additional (abliet minor) loss of your freedom. Never again can a neighbor, city resident, or even someone in the business remove your undesired objects for reuse without fear of arrest and fine, or having to, in advance, register with the city. And seriously...is this really enough of an issue to surrender your freedom to the city?
Shelly...I'm not going to characterize my thoughts about your word usage here, however, I would suggest that you might need to get outside your boundaries, and really interact with more people. My personal experience is that most people are really nice, caring, and generous.
Way to over-react to one incident. Heck, I have had many of the scrappers come up to my garage and help me move stuff out to their vehicles. Most are just trying to make a buck in a lousy economy.
I have had issues with scrappers circling my block when i get rid of broken equipment, or clean out the garage. they clog up the road, and i feel bad for my neighbors that have to ask people to move, or cant go anywhere, and yes it has happened three times. I should not have to wait until the cover of dark to throw things out.
Foreclosed houses are being broken into in many cities. Thieves are stealing copper pipes, etc. People shouldn't have to explain why they don't want strangers on their property. I was driving through a nearby city and saw a nice armoire sitting on a lawn the day before garbage pick up. Even though it was on the city side of the sidewalk, I went up to the house and knocked on the door to ask if the owners were parting with it. They said 'yes' and thanked me for asking. The husband was kind enough to come out and help me put it into my truck. If the item in question is in someone's YARD. Leave it the hell alone. If I see you in my yard poking around you can explain what you are doing to the police. And hope you don't have a big fat headache to go along with it while your doing this....