Sunday, March 29, 2009

April 26th! Clean up and green up!

Dartmouth Clean Up Day is scheduled for Sunday, April 26th.
Now that the snow has gone and the leaves are not out yet, you may have noticed a lot of trash and litter lining our roads. Here's a chance to build our community and do a good turn for the environment. Here's how
Step 1 - Organize your cleanup team. It could be your friends and neighbors, your scout troop, church group or sports team. Any group
Step 2 - Choose a location to clean up. Contact the Department of Public Works (DPW) or choose your own location.
Step 3 - Pick up free trash bags to use on Clean Up day at the DPW offices at 759 Russells Mills Road
Step 4 = Get together, clean up and bring the trash to the DPW designated drop sites.
Step 5- Pat each other on the back, then have a cookout, or go for a walk and enjoy the natural beauty of our town. The Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DRNT) lands are great for a walk in the woods.

To contact the DPW, email mdefranco@town.dartmouth.ma.us or call 508-997-0740.

The global Earth Day site is here Be good to each other and to our home, the Earth,

21 comments:

phil said...

Wonderful idea. Count me in

Anonymous said...

Have never in my life seen so much trash around town and heading onto highways and cities. So much trash by streams, wetlands, and toward ocean. I hope the citizens as well as the Park Dept. this summer pay higher vigilance to this worsening problem. Liquor, coffee cups, cans, condoms, plain old trash. Last summer, Apponagansett was the dirtiest yet, and the trashy beaches. When push comes to shove the Select Board must stay on top of this problem year-round, not just in April. Everyone get out and help, thanks.

Anonymous said...

Maybe we could all take the time to spruce up our yards, too, and give them a good spring cleaning at the same time we plant our seeds and rake our lawns. So many people allow stuff to clutter up their yards, like broken toys, garden or sports equipment, lawn chairs and other similar items, when they could all be trashed, although I guess, unfortunately, that means a trip to the landfill and a sticker or money or both, nowadays? Anyway, you all know what I mean.

And, unfortunately, too, some of these things shouldn't even be in the yard in the first place, like trash that the wind has blown around, or old tires that never made it to the landfill.

This is a great opportunity to unite as a community to clean up our town and as a neighborhood to personally clean up our little patch of it.

Anonymous said...

Trash is worse than ever, need action plan by leaders

Anonymous said...

no we need people to pick it up and throw it away.

Anonymous said...

Or not throw it out in the first place. Keep a bag in the car for whatever needs disposal.

Anonymous said...

I wonder about why some roads are always cleanof litter and others are not. Three very busy roads; Elm Street-spotless
Dartmouth Street to the NB line-spotless
Tucker Road - a disgrace
I don;t know why this is? Any ideas?

Gilbert Story a Must Read said...

On Feb. 4, it was reported in The Standard-Times that Ed Iacaponi had been offered the position of interim executive administrator by Select Board Chairman Joe Michaud and Select Board member Diane Gilbert. The decision to offer Mr. Iacaponi the position had never been discussed or voted upon by the entire Select Board at that time.
Besides what I feel is a clear violation of the state’s Open Meeting Law, what I found to be the most appalling is that Gilbert publicly reprimanded Michaud for making this information public by calling the Standard Times.
She conveniently forgot to mention publicly that she also participated in this meeting to offer the interim position to Mr. Iacaponi.
It is interesting that she is currently running for re-election to the Select Board on a transparent and open government platform, yet she remains publicly silent regarding what I feel is a violation. An elected official, especially one who is running on a transparent and open government platform, she cannot pick and choose when to publicly expose an issue regarding transparency.
But no one should be surprised by Gilbert’s actions. They are not unprecedented.
Back in early 2008 during the much debated issue regarding a split tax rate -- an issue vehemently opposed by Diane Gilbert -- she wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue without first notifying her fellow Select Board members. In her complaint, she criticized the Select Board’s behavior and the manner in which they handled the debate by allowing the public to have a voice in the decision.
Think about this for a moment, we the taxpaying citizens according to Gilbert should not have been allowed to have our opinion heard in a public forum on how we should be taxed. There is something inherently wrong with this philosophy and tactic.
What this illustrates is Gilbert’s propensity to pick and choose when transparency is appropriate. Transparency must always be appropriate whether it works for you or against you.
Gilbert has had a lot to say regarding transparency in Dartmouth politics, and it has been illustrated that she has an incredible ability to turn a blind eye to transparency when it suits her needs.
The time for this double standard must come to an end in Dartmouth. We must as a community move forward by electing the right people to the Select Board to bring back transparency and collaboration back to our community, for that is what is needed most in these trying times.
We, the voting citizens of Dartmouth, now have our chance to decide how our community will tackle the issues we face. Will it be one of transparency and collaboration or selective transparency and divisiveness? The choice is yours at the polls on April 7th.

Bill Trimble said...

This comment is complete nonsense. Ms. Gilbert has been a consistent and unwavering advocate for the public's right to know. Citing the Open Meeting law regarding the interaction of two members of the Select Board and the Budget Director is just factually incorrect. There can be no meeting of the Select Board without a quorum of three members present. There was no Select Board quorum, hence no violation is possible. After the two met with Mr. Iacaponi and reported back to the Select Board that he was amenable to taking on the task, there was a open meeting and debate on his appointment. Ms. Gilbert's contact with the DOR was an inquiry about the propriety of public statements by Select Board members in advance of a public hearing about the split tax. Her concern there was once again that all sides be heard. It was not an attempt to quell debate but to postpone it to an appropriate forum. No group has been more divisive than those who are opposing. I conclude that their agenda is to get a property tax override passed since they have little other policy difference with Ms. Gilbert. They will not come out and say so,instead citing a broader perspective on fiscal responsibility or other vague language.

zwj said...

Thanks Bill, That ridiculous attack against Gilbert has got Jim Mathes' fingerprints all over it. You know, the guy that spoke against the split tax while with the chamber of commerce then flipped when his bread got buttered with grant money. He tried the exact same type of attack in another forum and got his butt whipped in that debate also.

Anonymous said...

Bill - why do you allow these attacks on this man? he has not posted here and is not running for office. Running to serve the town seems to make one fair game in Dartmouth but tho allow these sladerous posts to continue demeans you and does not serve what you stated the purpose of this blog was. It is disgraceful plain and simple.

Anonymous said...

Mathes is a well paid political hack who has been engaging in gutter politics. He deserves everything he gets.

Anonymous said...

I am glad that Jim Mathes has been exposed for what he is. He should be ashamed of himself.

Anonymous said...

Jim Mathes? hack? gutter? make up your mind. Is he a golfer or bowler. Im so confused. I dont know to either stake out holiday lanes or the country club! damn secret meetings. I'll catch em dammit.

Anonymous said...

I am concerned that you find the Jim Mathes situation amusing. He is supposed to be a pillar of the community and he has proven himself unworthy of respect. His actions are dispicable.

Anonymous said...

Acting like a concern troll? I learned it from watching you.

Anonymous said...

7:48 - Bill is "selective" about his vitriol reprimands.

Mathes condemners - how about applying the same standards to Gilbert.

Anonymous said...

Mathes will be beaten down relentlessly for engaging in smear attacks. I expect better from people with his stature in the community.

Anonymous said...

"His actions are dispicable" Ladies and Gentleman Daffy Duck in the house!!!

Anonymous said...

Of course Mathes is engaging in smear attacks. His candidate, stone has nothing else to offer.

Anonymous said...

Seriously who is mathes?