Dear Eleanore Turkington:
I am responding to a gripe posted in the West Haven Voice edition dated Jan. 5 about “save the food scrap” and the article of Mayor Rossi responding in the edition dated Jan. 19.
Mayor Rossi’s response is basically implying that while this is still a “voluntary program” West Haven Citizens should start preparing that this soon to be “voluntary program” will become mandatory. My thoughts: so typical of our politicians attempting to gain more control right down to how we should get rid of our trash.
Further, I want to say that I have seen some people post some in social media groups about this program and most people are NOT for it. So, it’s a little bit surprising that somehow based on the Mayor’s “data” most residents in West Haven are for this program.
In terms of the gripe published on Jan. 5, I agree that enough is enough! I could think of 1000 other things West Haven should be focusing on. Yet the city focuses on this? Did they ever take into consideration that not ALL households have two separate garbage cans in their house to separate food scraps and actual trash? And, if you don’t have two separate garbage cans in your kitchen, who is really going to want a container sitting around with rotting food weekly until their collection day? How sanitary is that? Who wants the risk of a fly or rodent infestation in their house? Did they not take into consideration that some households have garbage disposals to get rid of food scraps? Or what about places of business? You expect them to separate their trash and food scraps too? And how do we know that when these bags arrive to the dump is there someone going through an ENTIRE dump truck separating orange bags from green bags? Because so far, I have only seen one garbage truck as usual that collects people’s garbage and all goes into one truck.
Let’s focus on bigger issues. Like, finding ways to lowering taxes to prevent our mortgages going up every year. Or, how about moving projects along quicker so our city doesn’t have all these blight issues. Are we just going to leave the dilapidated area where The Haven was supposed to abandoned and empty? What about moving the project along with the New England Brewery that is supposed to go where Savin Rock Conference is? Or are we just going t continue to allow the center to rot away> Or how about fining absentee landlords for not taking care of their property? How about focusing on improving the downtown area of having more family friendly stores to attract people coming to our city versus allowing one bar after another or dollar store after another opens up? I can go on and on.
I have lived in this city 20-plus years, We have beautiful beaches to offer, but yet our leadership that’s running the city isn’t helping to improve the city because they focus on smaller issues than big ones. Our city leaders’ priorities make no sense.
Fed Up
Dear Fed Up:
I am sure many of my readers share your sentiments. They are welcome to vent in Gripe Vine
Dear Eleanore Turkington
I live at 307 Washington Avenue and across the street from me is an empty lot filled with dumped trash. There is a broken fence here and the grass hasn’t been cut in three years. My taxes are almost $9,000.
SM
Dear SM:
I have forwarded your complaint to Councilperson Sarah Ackbarali and when her response arrives you will read it in Gripe Vine. Please let me know as soon as you see any activity here.
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