OK, Port McNeill, now it’s up to you.
Responding to a request from a citizen during its meeting last week, Town Council approved a drop site for yard waste and clippings.
This will, as Mike Blodgett noted in his written request, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by allowing residents to avoid numerous, individual trips to 7 Mile Landfill. It also brings the Town up to par with Port Hardy and Port Alice, which have municipal drop sites for yard debris.
However, the new site, located off the approach road from Campbell Way to the cemetery, must not be mistaken for a town dump.
Signage will be placed warning against dumping prohibited material, and public works staff will monitor the site’s usage with authority to close it down if abused.
In his approval of the yard waste drop site, Councillor Grant Anderson said it should prevent dumping at unauthorized sites, like one near Centennial Ballpark, which usually starts with brush clippings but leads to the dumping of furniture, appliances and other trash in a classic example of “Broken windows theory”.
That can happen at the new yard debris drop site as well, if residents — and visitors — don’t respect it. We can have the drop site if we respect it and drop only what is allowed.
Feel free to come and drop your rotten apples here. Just don’t be one.
