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!

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.

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!

 

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

 

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