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Town garbage law faces more changes
Amendments to Cheektowaga's sanitation law, which was rewritten by the Town Board last year, are expected to be presented to the public next month, but enforcement appears to remain an issue among board members.
The latest round of proposed changes will bring the town code in line with the sanitation laws of New York State and Erie County.
Changes include a longer schedule of notices, warnings and fines and new wording related to garbage can size. Instead of using gallons to limit can size, the code is expected to limit the amount of garbage to 40 pounds per container.
Supervising Building and Plumbing Inspector Thomas Adamczak said that the change from gallons to pounds will reflect the town's collective bargaining agreement with its sanitation workers.
Under the proposed change, violators will receive an advisory notice for their first offense. A second offense will prompt a formal warning from the town. Additional violations will bring fines of $25, $50 and $100.
Residents who continue to refuse to comply could find themselves in court and face a fine of $250, 15 days incarceration or both.
"You can't get any simpler than this," Adamczak said.
The sanitation code has been under scrutiny since 2004 when residents' complaints about an infesta- tion of rats, especially in neighborhoods that border the City of Buffalo and commercial strips, began to intensify.
The board in September 2005 amended the sanitation code by requiring residents to place their garbage at the curb in cans. However, enforcement of the ordinance did not begin until January 2006.
"If you're going to do this, you've got to go in with both feet and get it enforced as soon as possible," Adamczak advised the board.
Discussion at Tuesday's work session indicated that the town has not enforced the current code, and that management could remain an issue.
Councilmember Thomas M. Johnson said that the town should have been prepared to follow through with last year's changes.
"We absolutely have to get enforcement requirements out there and approved," agreed Johnson.
Councilmember James J. Jankowiak suggested enforcement for a year as a "pilot project."
"Let's enforce and drive our point home," Jankowiak said. "Then (an enforcement officer) could come to us and say, 'this is working,' or 'this isn't working.'"
Coordinating surveillance between enforcement officers and sanitation truck drivers could also be difficult.
Another potential problem could arise when a property is sold. It was pointed out that a new homeowner should not inherit warnings or fines incurred by the home's previous owner. Director of Administration and Finance Brian Krause said he expects to budget between $80,000 and $85,000 for the project. He noted that the cost includes printing tickets, mailings, and possibly the purchase of computers to store data.
The board is expected to call for a public hearing at its meeting Monday in Town Hall. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be preceded by a 6:45 p.m. public comment period.
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