Published: August 20, 2008 01:06 am            

NORTH TONAWANDA: Contractors abusing DPW services

Some say abuse of heavy garbage services in North Tonawanda has been rampant for years and others say it is beginning to get better.

City resident Bob Brennan called Mayor Larry Soos late last month to complain he personally witnessed contractors illegally dumping rubble at North Tonawanda’s Department of Public Works building on Erie Avenue.

“I talked to one guy who said he was doing a roof in Kenmore and he stopped here to drop the old roof because he was halfway to Kenmore and it didn’t cost him anything,” Brennan said.

Residents are allowed to drop four cubic yards of heavy garbage  — sofas, televisions and large scale debris — at the curb once a month.

After that, the department’s policy outlines a drop-off policy at the Erie Avenue building between 3 and 7 p.m. every other Monday. Specially scheduled pick ups cost between $65 and $130.

Brennan took photographs of a line of clearly marked contractors’ vehicles during a drop-off late last month. He said he talked to several of them in line ahead of him and confirmed his suspicions.

“I informed the mayor of my anger and he took my photos and went right up to see (DPW Superintendent) Gary Franklin. This is just a blatant abuse of taxpayer money. I didn’t know North Tonawanda was into charity work,” he said.

North Tonawanda Council President Brett Sommer said he drove over to the DPW on Monday to drop off an old television and was pleased to see Brennan’s complaint may have spurred a crackdown in checking drivers’ residency.

“I went to drop off at bulk on Monday and I was pleasantly surprised that they’re now asking for I.D. and registration, to make sure the people dropping off (bulk garbage) are residents and not contractors from Wheatfield.

Soos acknowledged he was swayed by the man’s photographs and that he spoke with Franklin after talking with Brennan.

He said he is worried, however, that there may now be a ban on all construction materials and that the long term effects could worsen the city’s service and create a bigger problem — mounds of garbage in every corner of the city.

“Well, I think we have a little situation here where they might not be letting anyone bring in construction debris,” Soos said. “What happened was Gary Franklin, there was a notice in the paper that not even residents can bring construction debris down there. I talked to (City Clerk) Tom Jaccarino about it and I think we’re going to have a workshop on it.”

Soos said he agrees the abuse has to stop but thinks less-than-reputable contractors and do-it-yourself homeowners will likely find even less appropriate places to dump construction materials unless a compromise is reached.

The present garbage collection scheme including green, city-owned cans was implemented at least four years ago, Sommer said, and resulted in the once-a-month pickup of bulk trash.

“You could put a sofa out each week when I started on the council, six or seven years ago,” Sommer said.

He said debate was raised about abuse when the council was discussing the change to the green cans, as well as partial pickup and drop off days.

“I don’t want to say it was pooh-poohed,” Sommer said, “But (the DPW), they didn’t anticipate it as being an issue.”

Former First-Ward Alderman Russ Rizzo was on the city council when the new services were being discussed, and made several trips to the DPW building at the time. He was dismayed by the number of contractors disposing their mess even then.

“The DPW warehouse guy — the guy who is a watchman — should be checking this,” Rizzo said, “But he gets a phone call and how many trucks get through?”

“Compared to what it was, it’s 95 percent better.”

Contact reporter Neale Gulleyat 693-1000, ext. 114.

        

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