AVALON – The Borough Council was set to vote Feb. 26 on adoption of a pair of ordinances intended to ensure better control over plastic and other construction site debris. At the last minute, the borough’s administration asked the council to table one of them.
The council adopted the ordinance that sets new regulations for the handling and discharge of microplastics and dust at construction sites. The tabled ordinance deals with the removal of debris from construction sites in a manner that reduces the chances for debris to blow off transport vehicles and into streets, waterways and wetlands.
Administration officials argued that the delay caused by tabling the ordinance would be minimal and that it would be ready for reintroduction at the council meeting March 12. The reason given for the delay was a need to change one section of the proposed regulations to remove what Business Administrator Scott Wahl called a safety hazard for transport vehicle drivers, the hazard being the need for them to climb the truck to remove the securing lines before disposal.
John Kauterman, an Avalon commercial fisherman and advocate for better control of debris in transit to the landfill, objected with emotion even while Wahl spoke on the rationale for the ordinance change.
Kauterman was told several times to halt his interruptions of Wahl’s statement to the council and to wait for public comment to speak on the issue. Finally he argued that there are private firms that do use secured covers without experiencing safety issues. He sat after expressing his disappointment with the borough’s decision to change the ordinance.
Contact the reporter, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.
