Along with the largest tax increase in history, water and sewer rate increases and fee increases, the Greensboro City Council also added some new fines for misbehaving residents of the city.
The city has had a regulation for some time that garbage and recycling bins are not allowed to be on the street longer than 24 hours, and now that regulation – also called by some the “nosey neighbor law” – puts teeth in that regulation.
The rule is that garbage and recycling bins may not be rolled to the street before 7 p.m. on the night before they are scheduled to be collected and must be rolled back from the street before 7 p.m. on the day of collection.
So, in a case like last week when Juneteenth was celebrated by the city, on Monday, June 20, the multitude of people who normally have Monday collection and rolled their bins out to the street on Sunday, June 19 were in violation of the law and could now be subject to a $25 fine because their pickup day was delayed to Tuesday, June 21. The same goes for the folks who normally have Tuesday collection, which was delayed to Wednesday, June 22.
However, the $25 fine is actually focused on people who do not roll their cans back from the street by 7 p.m. on the day of collection. The current city policy is that every resident gets one free rollback by city staff. So, for the first violation, employees of the Field Operations Department will roll the bins back from the street and notify the resident of the violation but will not fine the resident.
The second violation and any following violations where Field Operations rolls the can back from the street will result in a $25 fine per violation.
On the website people are given several ways they can contact the Field Operations Department to anonymously turn in their neighbors for not rolling their bins back from the street promptly. Of course, most neighbors won’t bother with notifying the city of bins left out on the street, but some will have the Field Operations number in their phones to make that call at 7:01 p.m.
Use your vote wisely in the upcoming City Council election.
Wisley is to vote for write-in candidate Chris Meadows for mayor. Nancy Vaughn is not competent.
Sounds like a good time to remind Greensboro voters that they actually have a choice in the race for Mayor. Chris Meadows is running as a common sense conservative who will spend your hard-earned tax dollars wisely.
WRITE IN CHRIS MEADOWS for Mayor of Greensboro ! And pass the word on to those who weren’t going to bother to vote.
Another STUPID rule by the City of GSO!!! Those cans are not bothering anyone and are not unsightly. Some working folks don’t arrive at home until after 7PM; apparently none of the morons thought about that. I guess they’ll be paying overtime to the can police to drive around after 7PM and “bust” those unruly criminals!
On the other hand, the City seems to be fine with all the trash that is thrown onto streets and in parking lots.
Then there’s the speeding, red light running, aggressive driving and a number of other violations that are regularly done with impunity.
If it bothers someone so much, do it for your neighbor. This is what people on my block have done for those who are elderly, those who leave town but don’t want to wait for another two weeks for their recycling to be picked up, etc.
Some people work night shifts or other shifts which would make it difficult to be home at the specific time to either put them out or to put them back up.
It’s not that difficult to be a good neighbor.
Is this “garbage can Detective “ one of the new positions our new City Manager asked for, and received, in the new budget?
I would like to apply for this position.
Drive around in a City owned car making $15 per hour, with very generous taxpayer provided benefits, writing $25 tickets. Maybe a commission too?
Right off the bat there was a way to save tax payer money that is spent on the trash can police. Come On Man, this is ridiculous but that is what out present city council deals in!
TIME FOR A CHANGE – ELECT TONY WILKINS, THURSTON REEDER & KATIE ROSSABI FOR CHANGE AND RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT.
Real change starts at the top. Vote for write-in candidate Chris Meadows. He is a businessman, unlike unemployed Nancy Vaughn. He will stay in his lane and provide leadership, unlike Nancy Vaughn. Vote for write-in candidate Chris Meadows. Make your vote count for Greensboro.
Call 336.2SNITCH to rat on your neighbor. Will the city be taking into account poor daylight in the winter, when people like me who have to roll that monstrosity up a grassy hill prefer to do it when there is still daylight? How about people who work for a living? Or have to go to the hospital? This is just more nanny government BS to score more money.
Thanks, but I’ll leave my yard waste can at the curb until the city can be bothered to empty it. So far, the longest it has taken them was two weeks. Same with the recycling can. They missed my whole block on one pick up day.
Our govt in(action). They got the votes, they got they power. This one serves no purpose but to take the opportunity to shove the citizens around just a little bit more. After all, they are the arbiters of what is best for us.
This will be a great opportunity to get on. Garbage police driving an City automobile cruising neighborhoods. Perhaps a $20-25/hr minimum wage for city employees.
Whose idea was this one? City manager?
I need a special dispensation from On High. I am old and discrepit. Although I wouldn’t mean to, and if I could I would do it elsewhere. But toting these heavy plastic tubs to and from the street sometimes is very taxing and difficult. So, if I should slip up in a weak moment, is it OK if I fart in the street?
The residents of the City of Greensboro are indebted to John Hammer for removing the lids of the garbage cans on the shoulders of the Greensboro City Council.
I personally think the City Council would be wiser to direct the Greensboro Police Department to enforce the laws of Greensboro. I personally believe that if you correct someone for stealing bubblegum, they are less likely to rob banks.
GPD is slack on enforcing vehicle registration and safety equipment violations; but, the City Council wants to prioritize garbage cans.
Thank you John Hammer for taking the lids off.
Can you tell we have a “Progressive Democrat” led city council and county commission yet? The biggest property tax increase in history, adding new fees and increasing existing fees which are just added micro-taxes. As I have said many times, they are working tirelessly to make Greensboro and Guilford County into the San Fransisco and Portland of the south. Additional problems with homelessness, drugs, and gang violence are on the increase just as in the cities they idolize. Truly is time to start looking at surrounding counties to relocate your family and escape “the great progressive reset”.
Had to laugh…is this the best the city council circus can dream up?
Let me be sure I understand. If I leave my trash or recycling container at the curb past 7pm on collection day the city wants to fine me $25 but if I want to take the life of a human being by abortion on the last day of the third trimester our Progressive city council has no problem with it? What kind of clown world are we living in?
What was the roll call vote on this enforcement scheme? Does anyone know?
Useless, unConstitutional government aestheticians!
Who needs ’em?! But career politicians care all about appearances, not usefulness!
So if you are a fireman/firewoman working a 24 hour shift for the city of Greensboro and put your trash out the night before your shift and do not return until 24 from the next morning you would be in violation. I am so happy that this is all our council and city manager’s office have to worry about.