INC NEWS - Herald Sun editorial

[Ken Gasch]

Richard,

Trash cans that stay at the curb all week has been a problem in Colonial
Village as well.  I would like for the paper to explain to residents why we
are interested in the look of our neighborhoods.

The look and feel of a neighborhood determines weather people move in or
move out.  This in turn affects ever other aspect of community life.
Neighborhoods are either getting better or getting worse.

I have noticed over the past few years that OND has been on a steep upward
climb.  I think that you have a lot to do with that.  As soon as I complete
my current project, I cannot wait to buy a house to restore and sell in OND.
The margin for profit is greater when a neighborhood is climbing as rapidly
as OND.

Keep up the good work.

Ken Gasch


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Mullinax" <rcmj at nc.rr.com>
To: "inc" <INC-list at rtpnet.org>; "old north"
<oldnorthdurham at yahoogroups.com>; "Ginny Skalski" <gskalski at heraldsun.com>;
"Reyn Bowman" <Reyn at Durham-cvb.com>; "City group council"
<council at ci.durham.nc.us>; "pac ii" <pac2 at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, August 30, 2005 6:41 PM
Subject: INC NEWS - Herald Sun editorial


> Old North Durham took it on the chin today in the Herald Sun editorial
> as having residents who 'complained' about cans left at curb for days.
> If this issue has a negative impact on your neighborhood., please
> contact the paper to let them know. Old North Durham cannot be alone in
> this, because this issue far from started in Old North Durham.
>
> I have been trying at PAC II meetings for several months, and at every
> small meeting I am in, to end the use of the word complaint. When I see
> a cart at curb and call the city to make a report of what I saw, I am
> not filing a complaint. What I saw I reported on and that makes me a
> reporter, and a much closer partner to the solution than a complainer
> could ever be. Please work to end the use of 'complaint' in your
> neighborhood.
>
> I also sent word to Ginny about carts that never leave the curb. The
> Editorial suggested that they are left for days. In reality many of the
> carts I counted have been curbside for years. My count was done on
> Wednesday and the City did one on Monday. Our collection day is Friday.
> Both counts were over 200 for about 1200 units. It was enough for me to
> be a proactive partner with Solid Waste.
>
> The City is working on the data and is trying to come up with a list of
> why people do this. The goal it to set up the best method of prevention.
> I am so thankful for the Solid Waste Department partnership on this
> issue. In particular the agreement we share that education seems to be
> the tool with the most effect.
>
> A large portion of the Editorial was dedicated to people being
> overtaxed. Fees are just another way of saying taxes, while fines imply
> that the person earned the right to pay them separate of any tax burden.
> Working to clarify these would have been a great help. The City staff
> hope is that a system with clear fines available will result in not one
> single charge. The fines being a last resort after repeated contacts
> have proved futile. Thanks also to Ginny for clearly stating once on
> Monday that fines may need to be considered for 'chronic offenders'.
>
> After several years of working with different partners on this issue, I
> was discouraged by the Editorial tone. I look forward to future reports,
> from Ginny, about changes in the current methods we as neighborhoods and
> City deal with carts being left as hazard and eyesore at curbside.
>
> I am also thankful to Bob Ashley for being available to talk about this
> with me. He and I both look forward to people giving feedback on this
> issue. Please let the paper know how you feel. For me there are several
> other issues more important, but this one should not be overlooked or
> trivialized.
>
> Richard Mullinax
> 921 N Mangum St
> 680-3883
>
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