A proposal to give a reward of $250 to people who provide information leading to a conviction of illegal dumping advanced at the Unified Government committee level Monday night.
Police Officer Joseph Caiharr told the Administration and Human Services Committee that the proposed ordinance change would allow a witness to illegal dumping to receive a $250 reward for reporting it, if there is a conviction. The $250 reward would have to be approved by a municipal judge, under the proposal.
The committee approved the proposed ordinance, which could next go to the UG Commission meeting on Oct. 31 for final approval.
Caiharr, who is in community policing, told the committee that he would like to see the $250 come from a fine on the person who was found guilty of dumping illegally. The UG spends a large amount of money cleaning up trash and debris in neighborhoods and along roads, he said, and all neighborhoods are affected.
He said if the public is educated on it, and the suspect knows someone could receive money from turning them in, it might be a deterrent. While it may not completely solve it, the reward could be another tool to be used to assist in fighting illegal dumping, he said.
The current graffiti ordinance has a $250 reward in it now, Caiharr added.
However, Daniel Kuhn, assistant UG counsel, said that the $250 reward could not come from the fine imposed on litterers and dumpers. He said it would have to come through other programs.
Commissioner Melissa Bynum said her neighborhood had some illegal dumping and she was looking forward to this ordinance change going into effect.
“I am really excited about this, and I have some neighborhood groups and expect to be giving them a check any day now,” said Commissioner Angela Markley, chair of the AHS Committee, at the committee meeting. “I expect them to jump all over this.”