Published: Sunday, September 24, 2006
Council:Move recycling location
Some residents were concerned a sexual predator might lurk at the site.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND — One person's desire to recycle is another person's annoyance.
For about nine months, residents have been delivering their recyclable glass, plastic and paper to the recycling site in the parking lot of North Elementary School in the village.
Some people who live on Johnston Place, near the site, however, have complained to village police, council members and the school district about the unsightliness of the location, which consists of trash bins surrounded by a fence.
Although the location is on school property, it was placed there by the Poland Community Baseball Association, which plays games at the neighboring field.
The association got $5,000 as part of the deal from Mahoning County's Reuse & Recycling Division, or Green Team, which operates the site.
Resolution passed
Last week, village council passed a resolution asking the school board to remove the site from school property.
The resolution came after neighbors circulated a letter in August, advocating the bin's removal.
The letter, received by village council members, cited safety issues, the possibilities of pests attracted to the station, unsightliness and odor.
"This is near the playground used both during school and at other times," the letter said. "The traffic pattern requires all traffic entering the north lot to pass the playground."
Children also could play near the site and get hurt, the letter says.
"There is also the frightening thought that a sexual predator has a perfect excuse to be in an area frequented by children," it says. "We do not believe that a Dumpster, visited at all hours, by anyone with a bag of bottles, is appropriate near a school."
The letter is signed by Leslie and Jim Viczay of Johnston Place.
Conditions weren't met
Dr. Robert Zorn, school superintendent, said that when officials from PCBA approached him about putting the site on school property he agreed with some conditions.
One condition was that the association canvass the neighborhood to ensure residents didn't oppose the idea. Another was that it be on property on the lot that PCBA leases from the school district. The third was that the bin be placed on a concrete pad with appropriate fencing.
PCBA officials agreed, he said.
Zorn said that after the bin was in place, an association member acknowledged that they hadn't canvassed the neighborhood; the bin wasn't placed in a portion of the lot leased by the association; and while a fence surrounds the bin, there is no concrete pad.
PCBA officials couldn't be reached.
When residents began complaining about the location, Zorn said he proposed some solutions.
One was to move the bin to village-owned property on Meadow Lane, about 100 yards from its current location. The village and residents supported that idea, but PCBA was opposed.
Another proposal was to plant trees, paid for with private money, around the site. The residents didn't like that idea, he said.
Zorn said he also suggested to board members that they vote to have the bin moved. None of the members made that motion, he added.
Zorn said that Richard Ames, village zoning administrator, is expected to attend Monday's school board meeting to deliver the resolution passed by council asking the school board to move the bin.
Ready to move it
James Petuch, Green Team director, said that if he receives a letter from village council, the school board or the baseball association asking that the bin be removed, it will be removed as soon as he can get a truck there.
"I feel bad for the Poland village residents that were using it," Petuch said.
He said that since it opened, about 20,000 pounds of recyclable materials have been dropped off at and collected from the North Elementary site.
A Poland Township site on Clingan Road will continue to operate. It's the second-highest-use recycling drop-off site in the county, Petuch said.
The highest is the Raccoon Road location in Austintown. There are 34 drop-off sites in the county and 10 more planned for next year.
"We respect Poland Village; they're good recyclers," Petuch said. "There will be no hard feelings at all."
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Some residents were concerned a sexual predator might lurk at the site.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND — One person's desire to recycle is another person's annoyance.
For about nine months, residents have been delivering their recyclable glass, plastic and paper to the recycling site in the parking lot of North Elementary School in the village.
Some people who live on Johnston Place, near the site, however, have complained to village police, council members and the school district about the unsightliness of the location, which consists of trash bins surrounded by a fence.
Although the location is on school property, it was placed there by the Poland Community Baseball Association, which plays games at the neighboring field.
The association got $5,000 as part of the deal from Mahoning County's Reuse & Recycling Division, or Green Team, which operates the site.
Resolution passed
Last week, village council passed a resolution asking the school board to remove the site from school property.
The resolution came after neighbors circulated a letter in August, advocating the bin's removal.
The letter, received by village council members, cited safety issues, the possibilities of pests attracted to the station, unsightliness and odor.
"This is near the playground used both during school and at other times," the letter said. "The traffic pattern requires all traffic entering the north lot to pass the playground."
Children also could play near the site and get hurt, the letter says.
"There is also the frightening thought that a sexual predator has a perfect excuse to be in an area frequented by children," it says. "We do not believe that a Dumpster, visited at all hours, by anyone with a bag of bottles, is appropriate near a school."
The letter is signed by Leslie and Jim Viczay of Johnston Place.
Conditions weren't met
Dr. Robert Zorn, school superintendent, said that when officials from PCBA approached him about putting the site on school property he agreed with some conditions.
One condition was that the association canvass the neighborhood to ensure residents didn't oppose the idea. Another was that it be on property on the lot that PCBA leases from the school district. The third was that the bin be placed on a concrete pad with appropriate fencing.
PCBA officials agreed, he said.
Zorn said that after the bin was in place, an association member acknowledged that they hadn't canvassed the neighborhood; the bin wasn't placed in a portion of the lot leased by the association; and while a fence surrounds the bin, there is no concrete pad.
PCBA officials couldn't be reached.
When residents began complaining about the location, Zorn said he proposed some solutions.
One was to move the bin to village-owned property on Meadow Lane, about 100 yards from its current location. The village and residents supported that idea, but PCBA was opposed.
Another proposal was to plant trees, paid for with private money, around the site. The residents didn't like that idea, he said.
Zorn said he also suggested to board members that they vote to have the bin moved. None of the members made that motion, he added.
Zorn said that Richard Ames, village zoning administrator, is expected to attend Monday's school board meeting to deliver the resolution passed by council asking the school board to move the bin.
Ready to move it
James Petuch, Green Team director, said that if he receives a letter from village council, the school board or the baseball association asking that the bin be removed, it will be removed as soon as he can get a truck there.
"I feel bad for the Poland village residents that were using it," Petuch said.
He said that since it opened, about 20,000 pounds of recyclable materials have been dropped off at and collected from the North Elementary site.
A Poland Township site on Clingan Road will continue to operate. It's the second-highest-use recycling drop-off site in the county, Petuch said.
The highest is the Raccoon Road location in Austintown. There are 34 drop-off sites in the county and 10 more planned for next year.
"We respect Poland Village; they're good recyclers," Petuch said. "There will be no hard feelings at all."
Sunday, September 24, 2006
One person's desire to recycle is another person's annoyance.
For about nine months, residents have been delivering...
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