On Sunday, March 10th around noon, City Councilor Sal LaMattina, Code Enforcement Sgt. Steven Tankle and Senior Aide / NEWNC President Stephen Passacantilli walked through the North End to get a first hand look at the state of trash on the streets and sidewalks.
During the one hour walk, Code Enforcement issued 12 violations / green ticket fines, mostly for putting out trash improperly and/or hours before the 5:00 pm legal time. By searching through the bags for identifying addresses, it was discovered that almost all the violators had placed their trash in front of a neighboring building rather than their own. The Councilor rang several buzzers to talk to violating residents and also spoke to some business owners about trash barrels still on the street that had not yet been picked up by private contractors.
Councilor LaMattina said that he and Public Works Commissioner Joanne Massaro would like to try new “transformational” ideas in the year ahead. Also on the table is changing the pickup time to 9:00 am (instead of 7:00 am) during the 2014 re-bid of the City’s trash pickup contract with Capitol Waste. This change would potentially allow for residential trash to be put out only during the morning of the pickup day instead of the day before.
The slideshow above shows some of the locations cited on Sunday afternoon’s trash beat walk. Sgt. Tankle noted that he had ticketed many of the same locations in the past and will continue to do so. Code enforcement also responds to specific addresses based on complaints made through the city’s hotline (617) 635-4545 and Citizens Connect.
this is great, thanks for posting this. credit to the city councilor for doing this.
next in this series should be following a meter maid around the neighborhood on thurs, fri and sat nights or when there is a bruins/celtics game. and bringing a tow truck with them.
good. now let’s go after the dog poop bags, orange cones in handicap spaces, and non-residents in resident parking. this neighborhood really has few issues yet nobody can solve any of them! thank god this is not a violent neighborhood or we would all be dead!!
Thanks for taking time to address this important quality of life issue.
I would love it if someone from Code Enforcement could stroll the neighborhood right after trash pickup.
Lately, there have been a number of instances of sloppy trash collection that results in the remnants being strewn all over the sidewalk and gutter. And, in the last month, we have not had our trash picked up twice.
When I called the city hotline, I was transferred to the responsible department and told that I missed the pick up time (I didn’t) and then told to get it off the sidewalk before 3PM (I think that was the time) so that I would not get a ticket. I wish the trash collectors were as focused on picking up my trash (large, black trash bag tied tightly) as they were focused on telling me I had to remove it before the deadline.
This is great! Best way to see first hand what is happen is to get out there. It is great that multiple locations throughout the neighborhood were visited. Trash is such a problem in our neighborhood and it’s great that tickets were issued to some of the properties. I hope this continues!
I still believe that moving the trash pickup time to 9 am and leaving trash day of would help with many issues we have with trash. I also strongly feel that having recyclables picked up on Mondays would be beneficial since many people end up with more recyclable trash over the weekends.
Thanks!
I wouldn’t like not being able to put my trash out the night before but…I’d learn to live w/ it to help keep trash off of the streets.
I would like to personally Thank Councillor LaMattina and the Code Enforcement Unit for taking time and walking the streets of the North End to see how filthy and disgraceful our streets look like especially on the weekends. Absentee landlords play a big part in trash/garbage being placed out early and improperly. If they lived on the premises, they would notice that trash/garbage is out early and/or improperly and hopefully they would do something about it. Also, Code Enforcement needs to be more visible in the neighborhoods.
I just want to repeat the ‘thank you’ to the Councillor for taking the time out of his weekend for such an inglorious task. I would also like to thank the Code Enforcement Unit for doing an often thankless and gross job that benefits us much more than many folks probably appreciate. I just hope this results in cleaner streets-
the counselor also makes $80,000 a year towards a pension. this is his job. he is not a volunteer. this is why his job exists. trash is the neighborhoods biggest concern. he should be all over the issue. if not, voters should seek out someone who is.
It doesn’t hurt to thank someone if they are doing a good job no matter how much money they make.
You would thank a waiter for provding good service or a cab driver for a quick ride…..why not tank a public official who is alo doing a good job. (on a Sunday afternoon no less)
Jason
when there is a lot less trash on the streets, i will thank sal with kind words and a vote. i have lived in the north end now for more than a few years and i do not think the trash situation has improved at all. i am hard pressed to find any real progress with the situation.
Bravo !!! It did my Heart Good to see these dedicated gentlemen giving up their weekend to investigate our situation !!! They saw for themselves what we deal with~~EVERY DAY !!!!! Thank You Very Much !!!
Unfortunately~~~or~~~Fortunately my Street was cleaner than usual that day !! I do believe that Commissioner Joanne Massaro will agree to our request for the time change for the PICK-UP of Trash in the North End !!!
This has been a long- drawn-out effort of our Community Members to accomplish this task !! We have High Hopes ~~~ Please don’t let us down ???? Thank You !
I want to personally thank City Councilor Sal LaMattina for ALWAYS doing a great job. I am honored to have him as my City Councilor and friend.
Keep up the good work Sal!
Code Enforcement has given me 5 tickets for not putting trash out properly and the trash didnt belong to my building (I’ve owned my property and live in it since 1977!).
All 5 tickets have been dismissed after I’ve written letters to Code Enforcement.
Code Enforcement is out there at 1, 2 and 3 am! That’s what time my tickets have been issued.
Once again, Thank you Councilor LaMattina
I read with great interest the committment of the Code Enforcement Department as well as the diligence of the Councilor. I am a Code Enforcement officer in Key West Florida facing the same problem of people placing their trash at a neighbor’s property and sincerely sympathize. Keep up the great work!!!