Village of Marathon looks to implement garbage can policy

The village of Marathon Board of Trustees at a recent meeting in February. (Photo via Kaitlyn Hession of The Cortland Voice).

The Village of Marathon is looking to implement a garbage can policy that would address recent issues on how certain residents are putting their trash out for weekly pickup.

Village mayor Scott Chamberlin said at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting that he’s received complaints about residents leaving garbage cans between the side and curb for long periods of time, and others leaving garbage cans right on the street.

Chamberlin noted some residents are also leaving their garbage cans in front of their households for a week.

This has prompted Chamberlin to propose a garbage can policy, which would coincide with the village’s current junk ordinance.

The newly proposed policy, an idea inspired by a similar policy the village of Whitney Point has in place, would give residents about 24 hours to remove their garbage cans from the street, curb or sidewalk.

If  time passes and residents still haven’t moved their cans, Chamberlin said the village’s Department of Public Works would go around the area, pick up garbage cans left behind and bring them back to their garage.

Residents can pick up their garbage cans at the garage, but not before being charged  a fee.

“I think it’s a good solution,” Chamberlin said.

Chamberlin mentioned the 24-hour notice would go into effect, but since the village's garbage pickup day falls on a Friday, DPW staffers wouldn’t grab garbage cans until Monday morning.

Village Board of Trustees member Ralph Canfield mentioned drivers of Blue Moose trucks, who pick up garbage and recycling every Friday in the village, have even spoken to residents about how their trash is being put out.

According to Canfield, garbage truck drivers have warned residents that if garbage falls out of overflowing cans, the drivers will not come back to pick it up. Some residents neglect to retrieve the excess trash, Canfield said.