The City of Monroe has made it through another Spring Clean Up Days, seemingly with little trouble - only six complaints came into the Monroe Police Department and no citations were issued.
While that is good news, an incident involving one collector of scrap metal should be the impetus for the Monroe City Council to clear up the controversy before the next clean-up.
Street Department Supervisor Tom Boll said the police officer who responded to the salvage yard where the collector arrived, metal in tow, "talked him into" a half-half deal.
Under the price negotiation, Police Chief Fred Kelley said, the salvager got to keep about half the amount for the scrap and the city kept the other half, each about $16.
"Everyone was happy," Kelley said. "The Street Department got half, and they (the salvager) got half.
"I guess the guy decided it was better than a $500 ticket," Boll said.
Sure is.
The desire to negotiate a deal that keeps someone from facing a significant fine for a relatively insignificant offense is understood, and to an extent appreciated. But in the bigger picture it defeats the purpose of having the law.
City ordinances make it a violation for scavengers to pick up items left on the terrace as trash. By law, that property belongs to the city.
If that is going to be the law, then it should be enforced. If it isn't going to be enforced, then the city shouldn't have it as a law. The council ought to decide how to handle such actions consistently, perhaps soon since Clean Up Days is an issue fresh on aldermen's minds and there'd be plenty of time to educate the public before the next event.
Allowing a salvager to negotiate a deal to do something the city has so adamantly spoken out against could be the beginning of a mess the city doesn't want to get involved in.
The city should get consistent in its policy toward picking up others' trash, or salvagers should begin brushing up on their discourse skills.
While that is good news, an incident involving one collector of scrap metal should be the impetus for the Monroe City Council to clear up the controversy before the next clean-up.
Street Department Supervisor Tom Boll said the police officer who responded to the salvage yard where the collector arrived, metal in tow, "talked him into" a half-half deal.
Under the price negotiation, Police Chief Fred Kelley said, the salvager got to keep about half the amount for the scrap and the city kept the other half, each about $16.
"Everyone was happy," Kelley said. "The Street Department got half, and they (the salvager) got half.
"I guess the guy decided it was better than a $500 ticket," Boll said.
Sure is.
The desire to negotiate a deal that keeps someone from facing a significant fine for a relatively insignificant offense is understood, and to an extent appreciated. But in the bigger picture it defeats the purpose of having the law.
City ordinances make it a violation for scavengers to pick up items left on the terrace as trash. By law, that property belongs to the city.
If that is going to be the law, then it should be enforced. If it isn't going to be enforced, then the city shouldn't have it as a law. The council ought to decide how to handle such actions consistently, perhaps soon since Clean Up Days is an issue fresh on aldermen's minds and there'd be plenty of time to educate the public before the next event.
Allowing a salvager to negotiate a deal to do something the city has so adamantly spoken out against could be the beginning of a mess the city doesn't want to get involved in.
The city should get consistent in its policy toward picking up others' trash, or salvagers should begin brushing up on their discourse skills.
