Dear Eleanore Turkington:
I am writing to you with the hope that you maybe will be able to explain to me and my neighbors why it is so important for our leaves to get picked up at 5 a.m.? Every week we get woken up by the leaf truck. Why? I thought we had some type of rule as to what time they could start because of waking up people. Nothing worse than being woken up an hour before you need to get up. Again, I ask why? Is it an emergency? I don’t think so!
Seems to me it would be safer to work in daylight. Studies show a lack of sleep affects your health and mood. I can tell you my mood is not very good right now. Do they start early because some employees will get out of work and enjoy themselves while the rest of will be tired all day?
Thanks city employees for waking me up. To your boss, you work for the taxpayers. Do the right thing and start your employees at the normal hour and stop waking up neighborhoods just so a few can get out early.Thank you Eleanore for letting us have a voice. Let’s hope someone is listening.
Sleepless in West Haven.
Gripe Vine Readers:
A week later I received the following letter relating to early morning leaf pickups, “Since I was awake, I decided to look up ordinance and discovered that garbage is not to be picked up before 7 a.m. So, besides the leaf bag pickers being in violation, the police are not enforcing it.
Are they stopping dumpster trucks that also violate the law? I have had dumpsters dropped off and picked up at 6 a.m. in mixed neighborhoods. Where is the enforcement? Only in West Haven do we make rules only to be broken by our own.
Sleepless in West Haven
Dear Sleepless in West Haven:
Here is what West Haven’s Complaint Officer, Francis Withington provided Gripe Vine to your inquiries. “The rubbish contractor is picking up the leaves. I will call them about the start time. The affordable waste number to call is 203-466-0101, the owner is Ralph DeCaprio.
Gripe Vine Readers:
If you have been following the Richmond Avenue saga with many of you complaining of the condition of this area, here is the last response received from the Francis Withington, the city’s complaint officer on this issue, “The gas company kept its promise to repave the portion of Richmond Avenue that was torn up due to their work projects. Also the neighborhood menace at 63 Richmond Ave. is causing problems again. The blight officer is on the case. He spoke to the bank which holds the mortgage and is foreclosing. He was told that the bank does not plan to carry out the foreclosure until July of 2018. It’s been in foreclosure since June of 2016.”
If you have a gripe, comment or suggestion, readers, send them to Gripevine4wh@aol.com or drop me a line to Gripe Vine c/o the West Haven Voice, 666 Savin Ave. Please be sure to include your name, address and phone number, kept in strict confidence with me.