Monday, September 1, 2008

Trash, Trash and More Trash

As regular readers in Woodstock, Ill., know, I have been ragging on Angelo's Restaurant and the City for years about when and how trash is put out for collection.

Check this out. Noontime, holiday week-end, Monday, September 1, 2008. Labor Day week-end. Rows of trash bins three-deep, blocking about 3/4 of the Dean Street sidewalk outside Angelo's Restaurant. Tops open, trash visible. Also cardboard cartons on the ground.
One reader jabbed at me last week for complaining about Angelo's trash and declared they put it out after 9:00PM. Right.....

What does the Woodstock City Code have to say about trash disposal? "The owner or occupant of any house, building, business, flat, apartment or tenement in the city where people reside, board, lodge, or where food is prepared or served shall maintain in good order galvanized metal or plastic garbage containers with covers for the temporary storage of garbage, food containers, bottles and materials intended for collection and disposal. (Ord 660, 8-4-64; amd. Ord 719, 9-6-66; 1986 Code)."

Just imagine if you owned one of the bed-and-breakfast inns in Woodstock and your guests inquired about dining establishments on the Square. On the way to the Courthouse Grill or La Petite Creperia or O'Leary's Pub, look what they'd pass at noon on a holiday week-end!

Across the Square at the new gelato place that moved into the former Tip Top Bistro, things were a little better. Well, sort of. The trash was in bins, and the bins were at the curb. And down the sidewalk a little from their outdoor seating area. Another noon-time experience for visitors and residents.

How about one more? Check out the neat, orderly, clean, CLOSED containers (below right) at the curb outside the Woodstock Public House, just up the street from the movie theater.

Patrons heading for a movie will have walk by these, but they are not greeted with the sight of trash, garbage, cans, bottles. Thanks to Brian Loprino and his staff for their efforts to handle the problem of trash disposal as neatly as possible.

Here on the north end of the Square business owners might be able to contract with S&Y Barbershop to store their containers in the unused alley across the street from the movie theater.
It seems to me that the City should re-visit the Code and either change it or enforce it. If the City is not going to enforce the existing law already on the books, then the City Council should take a deep breath (while standing right over an open trash barrel containing garbage), and then rescind the ordinance and replace it with one that they will enforce. Can someone say, "Sunset laws"?

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Maybe the Angelo's owner can leave one empty so he can stuff you in it right before pickup. Problem solved.

Unknown said...

Why don't you put up a poll about this and finally see that you are the only one who cares.

Gus said...

What would the purpose of a poll? It doesn't matter whether only I care, whether no one cares or whether everyone cares. It's a City sidewalk, there is a City ordinance about it, and the City shouldn't pick and choose which ordinance to enforce and which one to ignore.

What exists there is a gross disobedience of City law, especially when 75% of the sidewalk is blocked.

Glad to know that you still care enough to read The Woodstock Advocate and to send along your comments. Thanks!

La tee da said...

Look at all the cigarrette butts on the ground outside of the Public House Restaurant. In my town the Public Works Department goes around and cleans up the butts. Why don't they do that in your town?

WOODSTOCKCYBERSTALKER said...

for goodness sake did u ever stop and think that it was labor day. last time i checked there is no "pick up" or post office,or banking, on that day. for ur sake, ur complaining better not have any adverse affect on those business'.can i smell a class action lawsuit coming?(harassment and stalking). gus as long as there is eateries there will be trash.i personally think u dont like these business' or the owners, and u have a alterior motive.