2010

Posted by Bob on July 1, 2010 under Daily Blogs | 3 Comments to Read

After many months of research, discussion and hard work, the Blight and Beautification Committee will present a proposed blight ordinance to the Board of Mayor and Burgesses on Tuesday, July 6, 2010. The draft may be viewed here.

Last July, we had the initial meeting of our Blight and Beautification Council. Numerous volunteers, many of whom had little to no private experience in Borough government, came together to take a stand against the problem of blight in Naugatuck. While simply passing a law would have been the easy path, the members of the new council agreed to attack the problem in a comprehensive manner. Rather than simply looking to penalize owners of blighted property, the group dedicated itself to crafting a workable and feasible ordinance, educating residents about the importance of keeping the Borough clean, and establishing a plan to promote beautification efforts.

While, multiple positive and creative endeavors are ongoing with regard to education and beautification, Tuesday’s (7/6/2010) Borough Board meeting will focus on the proposed new blight ordinance. The goal over the past several months has been to create a document that is comprehensive, logistically enforceable and prevents overlap with existing local and/or regional departments as much as possible. This will be the first opportunity for Burgesses to review the proposal as a collective body.

Committee members Linda Ramos and BJ Forlenzo have been instrumental in leading this effort. Ms. Ramos and Ms. Forlenzo have energized and driven this process by combining a tireless work ethic, thoughtful approach and deep love of a Naugatuck. We would not be at this stage with them. They have been assisted by a fantastic group of volunteers who continue to work constructively to make Naugatuck an attractive and inviting community.

Deputy Mayor Tamath Rossi has also devoted numerous hours researching and helping to draft the proposed ordinance and providing guidance to committee members. Second Deputy Mayor Mike Ciacciarella, Burgess Mindy Fragoso, Burgess Pat Scully and Mayoral Aide Ed Carter have also contributed to the overall process.

Please provide your thoughts on the proposed ordinance by commenting here and/or attending the meeting of the Board of Mayor and Burgesses this coming Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 7:00 PM on the fourth (4th) floor of Town Hall.

K. Baruth said,

Hi – Please strongly consider passing this ordinance. I have lived in many cities across the country and have found Naugatuck to have more trash/debris in the streets and front yards than any place I have lived. I also find that there are several properties that clearly could use simple renovations to improve the quality of life in several neighborhoods. I think that this is another way to improve the town and is entirely necessary to beautify and preserve the charm of Naugatuck for generations to come.
Jeff Johnson said,

I think a big part of the problem is the actual collection of trash. I think that there is more trash on the ground after collection day due to the methods of collection. Why don’t the trucks have lifts versus using workers? The workers won’t take certain items not bagged properly and then often over turn cans or throw items on the ground creating trash in the neighborhoods. It might be a cheap solution to revise the collection policies and methods and/or install lifts on the collection trucks. Well worth the money if you ask me….
Bob said,

Hi Jeff:

Great thoughts. The Borough is going to begin electronic refuse and recycling, hopefully sometime this fall or winter. We are awaiting for trucks and need to finalize purchase of the applicable containers. Although resources will force us to phase-in different areas of the Borough, it should be a good start in reducing long-term operating costs and helping to reduce debris from escaping.

Thanks again for your comments.