City May Stop Trash Pickup At Convent
Garbage collection was stopped because trash cans were overflowing.
The City of Hyattsville has been picking up trash at St. Jerome's Convent and Child Center for years, but that service could come to an end soon, leaving the nuns that live there in a quandary.
Although the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur declined to comment on the situation, St. Jerome's pastor James Stack – who is also the Hyattsville Police Department chaplain – said at an August 2 City Council meeting that he is hoping the city will continue to do it.
The council extended trash services until their next meeting on Sept. 7, at which time it is expected that the issue will be revisited.
The childcare center provides services for children six-weeks through four years old at or below market rate. The city has provided trash collection for the location since it moved from Ravenswood on 42nd Place in the 1960s and continued to do so when the childcare center opened in early 1980, according to a city council motion drafted by Councilman William Tierney (Ward 2).
Patrick Ryan, director of public works, sent a letter to the center terminating solid waste collection at the center effective July 19 because of a complaint that trash was overflowing the trash containers. The city first extended pickup for a month until August.
According to the motion, the center, located at 5300 43rd Ave., has several obstacles to placing a Dumpster on site. Although an alley dead ends at the rear of the building, placing a Dumpster there would intrude on the childcare play area significantly reducing that space in order to conform to health and safety standards. The Dumpster would also violate the City Code restriction for distance from a residence.
"The suggestion that staff haul trash from the [center] on 43rd Avenue to [St. Jerome's] School dumpsters located on 42nd Place is impracticable and would artificially inflate the costs to the School," the motion, which was tabled, states.
The city is required to pick up trash from residents, but not necessarily from other entities, said City Attorney Richard Colaresi at the council meeting.
Picking up trash at the convent would "open doors for any 501(c)(3) to petition for the same privilege and they will win," he said.
Jean Smith
8:08 pm on Tuesday, September 7, 2010
I would consider the convent a residence since the nuns do live there also. I don't see where this should be a problem to pick up there trash.
Jennifer Hanna
12:14 am on Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Will the author please clarify what is meant by this statement: The childcare center provides services for children six-weeks through four years old at or below market rate. -?
Sarah Nemeth
11:08 am on Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Hi Jennifer,
The gist of what I was told is that the childcare center provides childcare a lot cheaper than some of the other area childcare facilities. Since the facility declined to comment, I could not get them to tell me the same thing. This came from a councilman.
Hope that helps!
Sarah
Eurmoms Abic
7:51 pm on Sunday, August 7, 2011
Wow, disagreeing with Mustang2 is being a fascist but Mustang2 disagreeing with anyone else is freedom. I think maybe Mustang2 is unaware of what facist really is,if he/she can so causaly throw the term around. I wonder if Mustang2 is actually a Christian or just another Bible Enthusiast pushing a personal agenda? It seems that a real Christian would morn the loss of a servant of his/her God with as much sincerity as he/she would anyone else. It also seems that Mustang2 has made a profile just to post these hurtful remarks and to hide his/her idenity. I guess if I was tactless enough to pick fights on an obituary, I would too. I truly hope one day, Mustang2, that you find the love that your God and region profeses, because you clearly are devoid of it now.