 Tuesday evening at the Lincoln City Council committee-of-the-whole
meeting, Alderman David Wilmert said the situation is as bad as it
has ever been.
Wilmert represents the city on the Joint Solid Waste Management
Agency board. He said that this week alone, the agency's executive
director, Mitzi Rohlfs, has removed from the recycling bins
household trash and two televisions.
Wilmert said this is not the place for electronics, nor is it a
dump area for common trash.
Russell Wright, assistant street and alley superintendent, also
recounted that his department had been there and found Rohlfs down
inside the dumpsters digging out bags of brush. He noted that in
that one incident, five bags of brush were removed from the bins and
hauled away by the city.
Alderwoman Joni Tibbs recalled that last year the council
discussed putting cameras on the collection containers with the
hopes of deterring illegal dumping. She said perhaps it was time to
revisit the idea.
Wilmert asked if there were laws that could be enforced and was
told violators could be charged with illegal dumping.
Wilmert said that there was definitely a need to do something to
halt this situation, and he ended by saying: "Public, be warned."
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The Joint Solid Waste Agency provides recycling bins in the city
free of charge to the general public. It was noted during the
discussions that this is a valuable and worthwhile service, but that
Rohlfs should not be expected to get down in the dumpsters and dig
out the unacceptable contents.
For fines to be raised against violators, the city will need to
be notified when the violation is occurring, or at least witnesses
should record the license plate number of the violating vehicle and
relay the information to the city.
[By NILA SMITH]
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