HOPE — Allowing trash outside a residence in Hope may soon become a very expensive choice.
With a unanimous vote, the Hope Town Council has approved an amendment to a garbage and rubbish ordinance that was initially approved in March 2017. The ordinance required the removal of unsightly trash, debris and unwholesome substances that a small group of Hope residents were allowing outside their homes.
But instead of just a daily fine, the proposed amendment calls for those not in compliance to potentially pay thousands of dollars in additional expenses.
In 2017, the council made the decision to sign a contract with CGS Services of Morristown to provide community-wide garbage pickup for the entire town of 2,200 residents.
The contract and ordinance were taken to stop an influx of raccoons, opossums and skunks from wandering into Hope looking for food, which created a community-wide health hazard.
However, there are still a small number of residents not in compliance with the ordinance, so the town council asked their attorney, Scott Andrews, to increase the penalties.
The original ordinance gave the responsible party 10 days to take care of the problem, Andrews said.
“Somebody who is not in compliance would be fined $25 a day until it is cleaned up,” Andrews told the council. “I thought that was pretty sufficient, because it doesn’t take very long to rack up a substantial amount of fines.”
But council members said there are still some places that have enough junk and waste materials to be considered a health hazard.
The proposed amendment allows the town to assess the responsible party for all costs and expenses related to the problem. Beside the property owner, the amendment states the responsible party could also be a lessee, tenant or occupant.
Those who continue to keep trash around the exterior of a home will still be fined $25 each day. But if the amendment receives final approval, the responsible party will also have to pay attorney costs for both sides, as well as court costs, filing fees and interest payments, Andrews said.
Since the amendment calls for additional fines, the town council will have to wait until its March meeting to have a second and final vote.
