Carbonear council kicks around garbage cans request

By Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A lost e-mail detailing a request for garbage cans attracted a bit of debate at Carbonear’s most recent council meeting.

Carbonear Deputy Mayor Fred Earle told his colleagues at their April 14 meeting that a request had been passed on to him by residents who frequently pick up litter in the town for additional garbage containers to be placed in certain areas. He then passed the request on to the public works committee where it was deferred.

Earle asked councillor Malcolm Seymour, who chairs the public works committee, why the request had not been granted.

“There was nothing to let us know what was needed or where it was needed,” said Seymour, adding the committee needed a letter with details, or the name of a requester, to know what was being asked of them.

“So, from here on, if things need to be addressed, please address it in a proper manner by a letter or an e-mail, and that way we can look at where it needs to go and what can be done, and then we can make a better decision than what we did earlier,” Seymour said.

“Not to be argumentative,” Earle replied, “but I did write an e-mail on that issue, and the details were in it.”

Earle said he was sorry if the message had not been received by the committee, but the request was in the form of a letter with the necessary information. Earle found a copy of the email and said they would have to look into why the public works committee did not receive it.

Seymour said that with the information now in hand, the committee would address the request for more garbage cans.

Director of Public Works Ian Farrell said ideally residents would submit their requests in writing themselves, so the Town knows where they are coming from and who to reply to.