A couple of City Council meetings ago - or perhaps it was the last regular meeting - a couple of tykes proposed to the council that there should be a sign (and a fine?) asking people to not feed the geese that are over-running the city.
One of the youngsters belongs to city senior project manager Geordie Vining - at least I think so. They have the same last name and they were sitting next to one another during the meeting.
Anyway, last night the council voted to adopt the proposal, with a heavy fine structure: $100 for the first offfense, $200 for the second and $300 for the third.
It wasn't clear what penalty would be imposed for a fourth offense, should someone ever be so stupid.
Only Steve Hutcheson had the good sense to vote "no" on this, saying the fines seemed "kind of high."
Kids today - they're tough.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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6 comments:
Hi Gillian:
If people feed the geese, the geese don't migrate. They hang around and that's what has been happening for years. It's not good for us, definitely not good for the geese. The fines are appropriate. Don't mess with mother nature!!
Hi Anonymous:
Yes, I understand not to feed the geese, and why - but $100? Why not post the sign with an explanation of why we shouldn't feed the geese? Most people are pretty reasonable when things are explained to them (anyone who would be feeding geese, at any rate). You could probably shoot the geese and get fined less (although I'm not sure of that). Thanks
How about an article in the Current about why we should't feed the geese! That way all of Newburyport will know. Sounds good to me. Again, the find is appropriate. This is a widespread problem affecting many communities. Just talk to someone from the Audobon Society.
Good plan, Anonymous. I'll run it by the editor.
As a related aside, when I lived in Boston I walked to work and while walking through the Public Garden, I (and others) would often slip on goose droppings left on the sidewalks. It was an actual hazard (and written about in the Globe).
Good idea for all the reasons mentioned, but I thought the fines were way too high given the fines that we usually charge for other ordinance violations in the city.
These fines are not new. Check out the ordinances in health dept. Sign also posted in Waterfront Park.
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