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So how hard up is the City of Somerville for cash? So hard-up, it appears, that they issued an "uncovered trashcan" ticket at 3:00AM (yes, that's right, in the middle of the night) DURING a storm in which Somerville was experiencing high winds and rain. You all remember the one from a few nights ago.
My dad/landlord got a ticket in the mail yesterday, including a photograph of a trashcan on the ground with the lid off on the side of the house. Normally, our trashcans are locked tight with their covers, except, apparently, when high winds and rain knock them over. We are going to appeal the ticket. I just think it is outrageous that this was even issued. Trashcans were down all over the neighborhood, as well as roof shingles everywhere, and small to medium branches on the sidewalks and streets, etc.
Did anyone else get this fine or know of anyone else who had? I mean, if the trashcans weren't picked up and it was, say, 11AM, there may be some merit to the ticket. But since it was issued during the middle of the night and during an ongoing storm, it seems really bizarre.
My dad/landlord got a ticket in the mail yesterday, including a photograph of a trashcan on the ground with the lid off on the side of the house. Normally, our trashcans are locked tight with their covers, except, apparently, when high winds and rain knock them over. We are going to appeal the ticket. I just think it is outrageous that this was even issued. Trashcans were down all over the neighborhood, as well as roof shingles everywhere, and small to medium branches on the sidewalks and streets, etc.
Did anyone else get this fine or know of anyone else who had? I mean, if the trashcans weren't picked up and it was, say, 11AM, there may be some merit to the ticket. But since it was issued during the middle of the night and during an ongoing storm, it seems really bizarre.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 05:15 pm (UTC)(I thought trash day was Tuesday, not Thursday or Friday, in the Davis Square area?)
no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 05:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 06:17 pm (UTC)only applicable if it was placed at the curb for pick up:
Date: 2010-02-28 06:46 pm (UTC)http://www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=7
* While stored on your property, all trash must now be held in a waterproof & airtight container with a lid.
* Trash put out for pickup must remain in a container, but does not need to be covered. We encourage residents to remove lids before bringing trash to the curb in order to prevent loss or damage.
* Trash storage containers may not exceed 50 lbs when full.
* Times you may put out your trash remain the same: trash may be placed out for pickup no earlier than 4:00 p.m. on the day before trash collection and no later than 7:00 a.m. the day of trash collection.
Hell, from the brochure (http://www.somervillema.gov/CoS_Content/documents/Trash%20Brochurefinal.pdf):
Do I need to keep the barrel covered when I
place it out for collection?
No. We encourage you to remove the
lids prior to placing your barrels out
for collection.
Re: only applicable if it was placed at the curb for pick up:
Date: 2010-02-28 07:17 pm (UTC)Re: only applicable if it was placed at the curb for pick up:
Date: 2010-02-28 07:19 pm (UTC)You think?
These are the same enforcers who ticketed someone before the four hour window to move cars had expired. (http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/2046081.html?thread=23975041#t23975041)
Re: only applicable if it was placed at the curb for pick up:
Date: 2010-03-01 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 07:48 pm (UTC)They had to be looking for trash cans down between houses in order to see it, especially at night. The trash cans are always covered, and the covers are attached to our fence so they don't blow away or go missing. It's very peculiar, this middle of the night trash fine.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 08:55 pm (UTC)This ticket doesn't surprise me. The Curatone administration has been a monument to petty asshattery and bureaucratic fucktardism to the infinity + 1 degree. Since he first took office and declared a snow emergency and had hundreds of cars ticketed and towed when there wasn't even a storm, it's been one thing after another like this.
no subject
Date: 2010-02-28 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:48 am (UTC)And then there was the whole parking permitting fiasco.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 02:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-03 04:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-03 05:20 am (UTC)Which is what happened when I went in after I lost the online appeal of my parking ticket. In person, they dismissed it.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 12:59 pm (UTC)Overnight ticketing seems to be their MO. I also received a ticket at 2-3am when some tenants left a bunch of trash bags after moving. I don't know if the police do this or they have some kind of "trash patrol". I imagine that they do it in the wee hours because they can move around the city more quickly and no one will see them skulking around people's side yards with cameras. Quite creepy in a way and while I can understand the sanitation issues it does smack of revenue generation.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 04:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 04:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 05:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-01 06:32 pm (UTC)Story??
Date: 2010-03-02 04:22 pm (UTC)I am a producer at 7 news. Just read your story and want to hear more about it! Please call our station-617-725-0775.
Thanks!
Re: Story??
Date: 2010-03-02 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-03 02:39 am (UTC)I hope that news report gets aired to show how petty this city is becoming. As much as the city claims these are isolated incidents (such as the one pierceheart refers to above) that are accidents or mistakes, they seem to happen far too often.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-13 03:38 pm (UTC)