Saugus ‘trash police’ decried

SAUGUS – Saugus Board of Health Chair Joseph Vinard said if Town Meeting members want to act as “trash police, let them,” during Tuesday night’s Board of Health meeting.”They want to control trash and recycling and so forth,” said Vinard. “I think personally, if they want to, let them. We don’t need to be involved with trash. We’ll deal with the offshoot of it when people have violations and it becomes a public health nuisance.”Vinard’s comments came during a discussion of the new trash bylaw set to go before Town Meeting in October.According to the article, “Any establishment, change, or implementation of rules and regulations? relative to the collection of solid waste, trash, recycling? shall occur after being approved by a majority vote of an Annual or Special Town Meeting.””If this is the way they want to do it, let them be the trash police,” said Vinard. “We don’t have the time, we don’t have the people.”The town’s new trash policy, which limited curb side pickup to three 45-gallon barrels, was enacted on Aug. 1 and has been a hot button issue for many residents and some Town Meeting members.Board member Diane Serino said she took “great exception” to accusations that there was a lack of communication on the Board of Health’s part in spreading the word of the new trash policy.”I felt we were disrespected, that if (Town Meeting) had concerns they didn’t come to us,” said Serino. “And basically we were hit from behind. If they had an issue with us, if they wanted communication, they should have communicated it to us.”Vinard plans to hold a meeting at 6:15 p.m. on Oct. 3, the night of Town Meeting, to discuss the Board of Health’s response.”I’m suggesting that you read this and get me your comments?” Vinard said. “And maybe we meet before that meeting that evening to prepare and determine who will go up and speak on our behalf that evening. It’s important the, that evening, we present a unified voice and a unified statement.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @MattTempesta.