During the August 26 Antioch City Council meeting, the city council made it clear they want a solution towards the messes being created by donation boxes around the city.
In response, city staff say they do have an ordinance behind them to allow them to go after the company placing the bins around the city as well as landlords who allow these bins be placed on their properties. Staff did warn that with limited code enforcement, it would be dealt with on a priority basis.
Mayor Pro Tem Mary Rocha, referred to the Antioch City Code under Small Collection Facilities (9-5.3812) which states these bins “shall accept only glass, metals, plastic containers, and papers”. Section G also states they should be maintained free of litter.
“There is no mention of these items in this process here. So I have gather they are illegal. So I am sorry we have not taken the time to look into this soon because I agree with you is what we are doing is taking away jobs from Salvation Army and Goodwill,” said Rocha. “Besides that, somebody else is pocketing this money and we are not getting it to our community so as soon as we can we can get rid of it.”
This item was placed on the agenda after Antioch resident Lori Cook grew tired of cleaning up these areas that create blight. In fact, she stated she counted 45 different locations where these boxes are placed. The mess they have created has been well documented on the Facebook Page Cleaning Up Antioch, One Home At a Time.
Cook stated that some of these locations have turned into illegal dumping sites. She also explained how some of these “for-profit” companies make claims like your items will benefit those who are less privileged, help end poverty, support your local community–however, they make money off the donations while sending the items to other countries.
“I have seen people taking clothing and items and taking what they want while leaving all the other stuff in piles by the boxes. Our group has done many cleanups and we find a large amount of items that we must now throw away,” said Lori Cook. “I understand that this issue will not be popular with everyone, but I feel that these boxes needed to be removed and people start donating to local businesses that help people in Antioch, Contra Costa County, California and the whole united states. We have many people who can benefit from these items.
Mayor Wade Harper thanked Lori Cook for her work and he stated his dissatisfaction with these bins.
“We do have to do something about this; we cannot allow this trash to continue. It’s a good purpose, it’s a good thing, but it needs to be controlled and managed,” said Harper. “Even the phone number on there, you make a call you get an answering machine and no reply.”
Councilwoman Monica Wilson also thanked Lori Cook for all she has done in bringing attention to this issue.
“I do see these boxes and they seem to be everywhere and have doubled and moved around. If your going to donate clothing, donate to local charities. If you take them there, they will go back into the community,” said Wilson. “Obviously the people putting these boxes out do not care because they are letting it become a mess and nuisance and they need to go away.
Wilson suggested to the City Manager that she would like the ordinance to have some more “teeth” and aggressively go after these companies.
Under the action taken last week, the City Council accepted a report on these donation boxes which was the first step towards working on removal. The item will likely come back to the council in the near future for actions of removal can begin.
Photo provided by Lori Cook
11 comments
Still not understanding why it took Lori Cook to bring this issue to the attention of the city council. The messes from theses bins have been around town for months! Shame on this city council for being so slow to do something and thanks Lori Cook!
Since most of these boxes are place in lower Antioch I would suggest the council never drives in this area or if they do they have blinders on so they don’t have to deal with it.
Many months ago, Tom, we drove the city manager to a home on Balboa Court off Buchanan to show him what people are doing to our town. Last week I e-mailed him about still nothing being done. Thursday I was told it will be started this week. People NOT doing their jobs is why this city is as bad as it is and people like Lori Cook and friends have taken it upon themselves. Kudo’s for our friend Lori.
How is retirement Tom?
About time the city addresses this. It’s a shame a resident and volunteers have cleaned these up time and time again. I love that people of the community want to make sure their community is clean, but maybe if the messes continue to grow, the Council may have addressed this months ago.
Ditto on that, Tom. and thank you Lori Cook for all you do!
I’ve never seen a donation box that didn’t bring trash to it. They need 24 hour attendants. There is an idea. Have some section 8 people that are healthy maintain and monitor them in return for all the working peoples money they get.
Actually Chuck, I agree. They should be working, doing anything, in order to get their check. But, you know the Civil Liberties group would jump on that one.
Why are you all so concerned about donation boxes? Its the drug addicts and homeless people that create the mess around them who should be getting attention. Check out the lot adjacent to 6th street. It’s filled with their garbage. The city won’t allow the residents to clean up the mess. It’s now free storage for them protected by the police.
Heather, if the boxes were not there in the first place they would not attract the people who create the mess. It is called getting to the source. The source is the blue boxes.
Heather, the city cannot stop you from cleaning up the messes like the rest of us do. Get out there lady. You do not have to ask their permission.
One small step at a time, Heather.
The Books box over by the Dollar Tree on San Jose Dr. is a great hiding spot for the drug deals I have seen going on. I hope that one is going too! I have visited or lived in Antioch since 2003 and I have watched it turn into a scary, toxic, meth ridden, crime ridden, trash filled, ghetto dump! I don’t leave my house at night, and now carry both pepper spray and a stun gun. It’s pretty sad.
I’m just happy there are others who are tired of seeing this crap too! It is so sad to see a town go downhill so fast and to see neighborhoods turn from family filled places where kids are playing to places where cars roll down the street playing their music so loud it makes your head hurt! People need to respect their neighborhood again!
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