Following a discussion held at a previous meeting, the North Beach Town Council is prepared to launch a campaign to compel dog owners walking their pets in town to clean up their acts. During their Oct. 3 work session, the council concurred with Mayor Mark Frazer that an awareness campaign about the importance of cleaning up dog waste is an aesthetics and health issue. Town officials are prepared to levy heavy fines against any scofflaws.

“Giving a couple of fines will have an impact,” said Frazer.

The strategy of using an education campaign appears to be the town’s best hope of eradicating canine poop from its streets, since it was noted by officials Calvert County Sheriff’s Office deputies have traditionally declined enforcement of town ordinances.

“The enforcement is going to be hit or miss,” Councilman Randy Hummel admitted.

The cleansing of North Beach won’t stop there. During the work session the mayor, council and staff discussed the purchase and mass distribution of larger trash receptacles.

“Trash is going to become a big problem if we don’t do something soon,” said Town Treasurer Joann Hunt. She provided the elected officials with information on a plan to purchase 65-gallon heavy-duty totes for each town resident. Hunt said another component of the trash control policy would be the implementation of a “Pay as you Throw Program.” According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency web site, “Pay as you Throw” implementation involves charging residents for the collection of municipal solid waste—ordinary household trash—based on the amount they throw away. This would create an incentive to recycle more.

“Trash is the one [town] service people can feel and touch every week and they love it,”  said Hunt. Having the larger totes for recyclables would be part of the strategy of lowering the costly tipping fees the town currently pays to its trash collection vendor.

“I love the incentive to recycle more,” Councilwoman Gwen Schiada remarked.

“We do have a trash issue,” said Councilman Mike Benton.

The idea of spending a large amount of