Littering is against the law, so shoving food wrappers and cups into flower pots on Bradford’s Main Street isn’t just disgusting and disrespectful, it’s prosecutable too.
At Tuesday’s meeting, East Main Street resident Brian Berlin told Bradford City Council that on his frequent walks around the downtown, he finds fast food trash crammed into flower pots instead of thrown out.
If you see someone littering, alert the police, said Chief Mike Ward. The person can be charged with scattering rubbish.
It’s not always easy to spot people who might quickly drop some trash, Mayor Tom Riel said.
“We would hope that responsible business owners go out and clean out the flower pots,” he added.
Councilman Kris Goll said to Berlin, “Have you thought about creating a volunteer group” to clean up litter in the downtown, something that council would happily get behind.
Berlin acknowledged that he had considered it.
“If you do that we’ll get you the garbage bags for free,” Riel said, “garbage bags and some gloves.”
In other business, council members unanimously approved the purchase of two pavilions for Callahan Park.
According to the resolution, the old shelter in the picnic area will be replaced with two smaller pavilion structures. Two Timberland laminated beam pavilions with metal roofs, one 28 feet long and one 20 feet, will be purchased from Recreation Resources USA for $68,710. The funds will come from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, from the Office of Economic and Community Development’s Trail and Recreation Fund and from McKean County ARPA grants.
Also at the meeting, council appointed city treasurer Karen Hector and councilman Tim Pecora to the tax collection committee as primary voting delegate and alternate; appointed signatories for the city’s pension funds at Northwest Bank; approved a lease agreement with Hurd Construction at the Habgood Center on Russell Boulevard; and approved the subdivision of 106 Oakwood and 61 Rockland, both owned by Craig and Kimberly Engstrom.
The next regular council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 25.
