I'm not sure why the city itself doesn't do this, but I've uploaded the drafts of three of the proposed statutes that the Ordinance Committee recommended the City Council adopt next month.
Here they are, in PDF form:
Combining the blight and code enforcement committees (please note that the final section, 5-57, remains in committee while councilors reconsider its language; the rest of it, however, is headed to the council for final approval)
Barring convicted child sex offenders from parks and schools
Cracking down on wayward shopping carts
And here's the text of a proposed legal change that's still under consideration by the Ordinance Committee, which seeks to regulate newspaper boxes:
Newspaper box regulation
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
12 comments:
Just as I thought it's an ordinance punishing the stores not the people who take the carts. This is a total anti-business law.
This is a waste of time (BTW thanks for posting this Steve).
Obviously if the store isn't pro-active in retrieving the carts they couldn't care less if we throw them out. Does anyone really think a multi-million dollar corporation gives two ____s about retrieving a damaged cart for $50?
The taxpayers end up paying for more (of Craig Minor's) government.
And who ever is calling me and others names for posting critical remarks, blame Steve (sorry Steve). He allows us the pleasure of this forum in the first place...and we take advantage of the opportunity to comment.
Thanks Steve.
hmmmmmmm - if unable to think for one's self, rely on the press to post it for you? makes sense if you are looking for someone else to blame for your lack of brain power.
If this is such a great ordinance why isn't Frank taking it to the Legislature?
We are being fool into a false sense of security with this silly ordinance.
If you really believe that shopping carts only cost 50 bucks and that multi million dollar corps dont give a crap about them you must not have alot of business sense.
February 22, 2008 11:26 AM:
No you have no common sense. If these carts (damaged) were so valuable, why aren't the grocery stores picking them up? Why does the city need to collect them? Wouldn't it be cheaper for the stores (than $50 per cart) to send someone to collect them? How much money is a stolen (possibly damaged) cart worth then Mr. Business-expert?
February 22, 2008 6:24 AM: Boy, you're a real "Sherlock Holmes". How, by commenting on an ordinance Collins provided, does this demonstrate a "lack of brain power"? Are you saying that Collins is spurring this negativity and we're just following his lead? How silly you are.
Steve, Is there a way besides attending this committee meeting the public can obtain a copy of these proposed ordinances that's easiler than this?
Thanks.
During the past administration, when Ellen Zoppo chaired the Ordinance Committee, she routinely sent electronic copies of proposed laws to anyone who asked. I assume that Craig Minor would do the same.
Who's going to administrate this? If a stolen cart is found on public property wouldn't it just be easier to "scrap" it rather than go through all this? Is Stop & Shop going to come and pay $50 for these carts?
February 22, 2008 11:26 AM: Believe me Stop and Shop isn't going to waste their time with this. I can't even get them to come pick one up for $0.
If a cart is left on a sidewalk who from the city will pick this up? Why will they only do Bulk Pick-Ups once a year for me?
What about the carts left on private property?
"hmmmmmmm - if unable to think for one's self, rely on the press to post it for you? makes sense if you are looking for someone else to blame for your lack of brain power.
February 22, 2008 6:24 AM"
-Hmmmm I hope you're not teaching English.
Frank can only bobble one ball at a time.
Some of you are sooo off the mark it isn't funny! We need to do something and quick! The corporate heads don't realize that the stores are not picking up the carts, but believe you me, they'll sit up and take notice when the stores have to buy new carts every month and that starts to cut into their bottom line. You're talking at least $200 per cart. It won't take long for the gravity of the situation to become evident to the powers that be. Obviously the managers don't give a hoot, but the higher ups will.
What's unfortunate is the naysayers in this town. For crying out loud, something needs to be done. Let's give this thing an honest shake before we make a judgment as to whether or not it's working.
This is a city thing not a state thing so Frank can't take this to the Legislature. Each town must do what it must do with regard to shopping carts. It would also help if the slumlords would stop putting people in their apartments that don't care and leave these things all around.
These people must know they are shoplifting when they take the carts. I find it amusing that they can pay to have a cell phone, but they can't buy a handcart to carry their groceries in, so don't give me the old story of they can't afford a handcart.
I'm just sick and tired of this city picking up after these cart stealers. We pick up after they leave couches and turned over trash barrels on the curb, we pick up after their abandoned cars that they just leave on the street when they can't fix them and we pick up after they leave grocery carts around, because they're too lazy to bring them back. See a pattern here? Slumlords = bad tenants = city decline.
To the first poster: Am I missing something? Where does it say the taxpayer is going to pay extra for picking up the carts? I read it as the grocery store pays to get their carts back otherwise we dump them. We're not hiring any extra people to pick these things up. I personally would pay extra to have these things out of my sight.
As others have said before, when you drive into this town and see these carts all around, the first thing you think about is that the town doesn't care and the people that live in that town don't care either and that, in turn, makes those who might consider Bristol a good place to live decide otherwise. After all, why would you want to live in a town where carts are all over? It reflects poorly. I've had friends visit here and comment about seeing them around and how it reminds them of Waterbury.
Lots of small, positive changes will make a huge, overall difference in how people perceive us and make us proud to be Bristolites, but it needs to start somewhere. I, for one, will not let these grocery stores take advantage of our city the way they have in the past. Keep up the good work, ordinance committee!
Listen to the fiddling while the Fire Engines arrive.
Suggestion:
Have the Old Tyme Fiddlers play at the next City Council meeting.
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