Village to crack down on dumping of bulk items

The Village of Fredonia has tightened its bulk dumping policy.

Public Works Director Eric Paulus suggested changes to the policy at last Thursday’s Village Board meeting to make bulk waste collection easier on staff and limit the service to just village residents.

The old policy allowed for bulk waste to be dumped during one week in May and one in September at the Department of Public Works shop “where it was unmanned and anyone could bring whatever they wanted at any hour,” he said.

Paulus proposed holding the collection on three days each in spring and fall at the wastewater treatment plant, which is gated, covered by cameras and can be manned by village staff members.

The hours of collection would be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

Identification would be required to prove that people who are dropping off items live in the village. Among the accepted IDs are a driver’s license, water bill or We Energies bill.

“I think when we have that sign up there ‘Village ID Required,’ the ones that don’t have it will probably turn around,” Paulus said, “then dump it in the parks,” drawing laughter from the board.

Paulus asked that the collection be held at least a couple of weeks after the villagewide rummage sale so he has summer help available to assist with the service, which would be sometime in June. He hasn’t figured out what dates would be best in fall.

The bulk waste dumpster service is designed for residents to get rid of items that don’t fit in their weekly collection bins. Among the accepted items are couches, mattresses and construction debris.

Prohibited items include tires, paint, appliances, oil and other things deemed unacceptable by village staff.

Staff members are not responsible for unloading items.

The board approved the new policy, 6-0. Shane Van Roo was absent.