Morgantown litter legislation passes first studying, annual archery hunt begins Saturday

MORGANTOWN — Morgantown Metropolis Council on Tuesday supplied first studying approval for code amendments focusing on reoccurring trash and litter points within the metropolis’s downtown and past. 

The adjustments pertain primarily to code sections 539 (litter) and 1139 (stable waste assortment). 

As beforehand reported, one of many additions to part 1139 is a definition for “infectious medical waste,” which covers quite a few gadgets and supplies, together with blood and blood merchandise and sharps, or needles. 

The code modification additionally specifies that depositing hazardous waste or infectious waste in any public place and not using a legitimate allow can be a misdemeanor punishable by a high-quality of not more than $500 or as much as 30 days in jail, or each. 

The penalty for litter not together with hazardous or infectious waste is a high-quality of not more than $500. 

The adjustments additionally stipulate that hazardous and infectious waste just isn’t permitted in public trash cans. 

Milan Puskar Well being Proper has operated a clear needle trade program out of its Spruce Avenue clinic since August 2015. 

Well being Proper Govt Director Laura Jones advised The Dominion Publish in 2021 the company was most likely distributing 50 kilos of syringes month-to-month in its service space, which prolonged past Monongalia County. 

Members of council clarified that these ordinance adjustments influence the folks doing the littering in public locations, not the property house owners the place litter could also be discovered. 

“It’s designed that when trash goes into the fallacious place that somebody be held accountable – that the one that places it in there be held accountable,” Mayor Jenny Selin mentioned. 

The brand new code additionally specifies that it’s unlawful to position development waste in a public trash receptacle. 

Additional, it provides metropolis fireplace marshals and town’s improvement companies director to parking authority and code enforcement personnel deemed “particular litter prevention officers” in a position to problem citations for littering. 

In different metropolis information, city archery hunt organizer Rick Bebout mentioned the 2023 hunt kicks off Saturday and runs via the top of the 12 months. 

It’ll decide again up Jan. 8-31. 

This would be the thirteenth 12 months for the hunt, which has to this point eliminated 1,129 deer from town and resulted within the donation of 11,706 kilos of floor venison to native feeding packages. 

The hunt will embody 93 hunters on 46 properties, together with BOPARC land for the primary time since 2015.  

Bebout beforehand mentioned hunters may have 9 tree stands throughout 4 park properties — Marilla Park (1), Dorsey’s Knob (2), White Park (3) and Krepps Park (3). 

Lastly, council designated 6-8 p.m. Oct. 31 as Trick or Deal with within the metropolis of Morgantown.