Viewpoints
Early Christmas Gifts
by Jerry Cegelske
December 22, 2004
Wednesday
It is with great anticipation that many children, and adults,
wait for Christmas morning. For some people, with their
jobs and the demands on their lives, waiting that long
is not an option. An example of that is The Society of
American Foresters who took time this weekend to clean mile 6
of the North Tongass Highway. "Thanks" for the
early Christmas gift. You do such a great job of helping
to keep Ketchikan's roads clean. Your efforts are greatly
appreciated and noticed.
Others also couldn't wait to give their gifts. I'm sure
they had great reasons. It was just too much of a hassle
to take their trash to the dump, so they gave Ketchikan and the
residents gifts to enjoy for much of the year, not just
for Christmas morning. Since these gifts belong to all
the residents, I would like to share them with you, and tell
you where you can view them. Some times people take the
axiom that it is "better to give than to receive" too
far!
Trash dumped at mile
17 N. Tongass Highway
The first photos are of private trash dumped at the pull-out
just past the Mile 17 N. Tongass marker. It will include
an undisclosed gift of $200.00 to the Borough at a later
date after interviews are conducted.
The next photo is of pallets waiting to be used on one of
the clear cold nights we can expect before Christmas. The next
is a still smoldering pile of burned tires and pallets at
mile 4 Revilla Road. It is nice that our immature children
can enjoy the great outdoors, sadly it is much to our detriment
and regret.
Pile of pallets to
be used later
Also at mile 4 is this pile of deer carcasses dumped over the
edge there. They have managed to make this area unusable
for any of the other residents of Ketchikan. They can't
walk their dogs or park in the area due to nails, burned tire
remains, broken bottles, trash. They have managed to turn
a view area into a dump. Thanks for the gift!
Deer carcasses dumped
over the pullout edge at Mile 4 Revilla Rd.
The last pictures are of trash dumped on Borough property
opposite the road to Ward Lake off Revilla Road. Your tax
dollars will be going to clean up the mess. These guys
are like some kids, as they give you a gift that costs
you more than what it is worth.
If I could give the dumpers some gifts, some would be from
the Grinch as follows:
To the Lazy- enough ambition, energy and common sense to
take your trash to the dump.
To the Ignorant- the knowledge
of the damage you are doing to your environment, to your friends
and neighbors, and the cost to clean up your mess.
To the Partiers, that
burn pallets and break the beer bottles in the pullouts and school
bus turnarounds- the experience of having the flat tires that
you have given others to enjoy, the inconvenience you have caused
school bus drivers, and the extra work you have caused Dept.
of Highways workers, and the expense.
To the Stupid- a brain like
the Scarecrow wanted, so you could have a chance of understand
the damage you are doing to the entire community, but most of
all to yourself, by perpetuating your foolish acts and stupidity.
To the Vandals- For you to
enjoy the experience you have allowed others to experience, with
burned cars, broken windows and general mayhem, when you can
least afford it, in time or money.
To those that chose to let
the other Borough Residents take care of your responsibility
for your car, trash or waste, the courage to take responsibility
upon yourself so that you can feel what it is like to be a responsible
member of the community, not the despicable user of others
that you are.
To the all the Inconsiderate,
the $200.00 citation that I will be working to give you
as a gift from the responsible residents of Ketchikan.
Jerry Cegelske
Code enforcement
Ketchikan Gateway Borough
E-mail: jerry.cegelske@borough.ketchikan.ak.us
907-228-6621
Trash dumped at mile
17 N. Tongass Highway
Pile of burned tires
and pallets at mile 4 Revilla Rd.
Solid waste dumped
at the future ball field opposite the Ward Lake Road.
Solid waste dumped
at the future ball field opposite the Ward Lake Road.
Note: Comments published
on Viewpoints are the opinions of the writer
and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Sitnews.
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