The North End Waterfront Neighborhood Council (NEWNC) met for their monthly meeting on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. The meeting began with a series of community reports, including a proposal for a new clean streets program by City Councilor Lydia Edwards. Watch the video above for the full rundown or jump to subjects of interest using this summary timeline.
(00:00) NEWNC President John Pregmon starts the meeting with a few announcements about upcoming events in the neighborhood.
(2:39) City Councilor Lydia Edwards presents a new clean streets initiative for the North End. The number one issue raised in the neighborhood is trash and the condition of the North End streets. Mimicked off the Downtown BID (Business Improvement District), Councilor Edwards is proposing an informal version of this where a subcommittee for cleaning the streets is added to an umbrella non-profit in the North End.
This subcommittee would determine the geographic area, the hours / days for cleaning and set a budget for these cleaning services that would complement what the city already provides. The committee would set up a donation structure to this non-profit where tenants, landlords and local businesses could participate on a monthly basis.
Councilor Edwards also discussed this initiative at the November NEWRA meeting. She hopes the program could launch in March 2019.
NEWNC council member Sean Hennessey asked if any approval would be required from the city. Edwards responded that no approval would be needed, since this program would not take away from city services nor deny public access to the streets. The initiative would work with the city to complement their services.
NEWNC council member Brett Roman asked what, if any, concerns have been expressed. Councilor Edwards said there’s always a doubt that no one else will give. There is also, with any collection of money, an issue of transparency. Councilor Edwards said the committee would share with everyone exactly where the money goes – trash bags, gloves, hourly pay for a hokey, etc.
(16:36) Maria Lanza from the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services presents updates from the Mayor’s Office.
- Mayor Walsh has released the first ever inventory of Boston’s income-restricted housing analyzing type and location.
- MassDOT will be holding community meetings about the N. Washington Street Bridge project.
- The Mayor’s enchanted trolley tour will be rolling through December 2.
(19:42) Pat Bova presents public safety updates.
(22:28) John Pregmon presents updates from the Greenway, including that the neon signs will be up through April.
(23:03) Brett Roman talks about the Harborfront Neighborhood Alliance.
(23:42) Ashley McCarthy presents updates from RUFF North End Dog Group. RUFF is partnering with Polkadog Bakery to donate household items to Boston Animal Control this holiday season.
(24:27) Jody Faller gives an update from the Resident Parking / Traffic Committee. A reminder to residents that permit turnover happens the end of November. Don’t get a ticket on December 1 for failure to have a valid resident parking sticker!
When talking about the trash problem why do they never talk about the countless people from outside the neighborhood that come in and rip up people’s trash looking for bottles. I see it happen every trash night. The garbage people pick up the torn bags the next day, stuff goes everywhere and they just walk away. Getting rid of the scavengers some how would help dramatically.
So, this is the city admitting that they don’t have the resources to keep the neighborhood clean? They need to rely on donations to do it?
Putting trash out the morning of pick up, not the night before, greatly impacts the time that pickers can go through bags. I don’t think it’s illegal? Or it would just be sad to pick on people that desperate. That said- I’ve seen a seagull peck open a bag of trash, leaving it looking like a picker had gone through it.
To Steve: I totally agree that the City Councilor is trying to make the problem a lack of resources. Every other neighborhood is able to be kept clean. What is different about the North End and Chinatown? By Village and the South End, Back Bay either don’t look like our neighborhood looks. And we beat an extreme brunt of tourist foot traffic. I know of a group that asked the Councilor to help get more barrels in the street. The answer was they are expensive, have to be maintained and emptied, and no one will agree to have them on their property.
The North End deserves a tourist and restaurant traffic subsidy to clean up our filthy neighborhood. And we should definitely not have to pay more. Other clean neighborhoods don’t have non profits keeping them clean.
I would contribute, but we do need more trash cans and city support. Tourists come to Boston and always have the North End on top of their “To Do” list. It also should be a law that all garbage go out in the morning. Bottle pickers are not as much of an issue as RATS who feed on the garbage all night. RATS spread disease.