Sunset Beach reels in roll-back rules

SUNSET BEACH—Town council has agreed to suspend warnings and review the legality of rewording an ordinance about garbage can roll-backs.

Laura Lewis

Marty Friedman of Propertywatch Rental Services tells council about his rollback service that’s available to residents.

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Council’s instruction to town administrator Gary Parker came Tuesday afternoon following debate about the rules that have drawn objection.

Ron Watts of Sunset Properties complained about the rollback rules, among other things such as an unsightly Dumpster placed on the island and police trying to stop speeders.

“Is that the image we want to give folks we’re in effect inviting to our community?” said Watts, adding the island generates more than half the town’s income through property tax and revenue.

He said it worked fine when there was an individual to push back garbage cans. Now, he said the town has a staff person going out writing tickets and another trying to figure out how to track down the homeowner “to send this damn ticket out.”

“Just hire somebody to push the cans back and be done with it,” said Watts, who also complained the town does little to promote local tourism.

Andy Dusenbury of Sunset Vacations said his main concern is the “garbage can deal.” He said if town hall doesn’t want to administer roll-backs, then it could hire contract workers.

Island homeowner Jean Hutchinson said she, too, has been bothered by the garbage issue.

“I’m glad to see passed the ordinance they passed, not because it looked bad but because of the rat problem on the beach.”

Mainland resident Herb Tinger wondered why weekenders can’t take their trash with them.

“If you own property, there are certain costs of doing business,” he said. “I think the trash is just another added cost of doing business. I say you as rental agents ought to hire somebody and charge the customers accordingly.”

Watts said neighboring island towns of Ocean Isle Beach and Holden Beach have come up with procedures that work, because those towns work directly with both residents and tourists.

Island businessman Cliff Errickson said there has been a communication breach.

“What y’all do is dictate to people on the island and businesses without really getting input from them on what’s perhaps a more appropriate course to follow,” he said, suggesting meetings with businesses on the island.

Bill McDonald said he agreed “our community is not business-friendly at all” and suggested formation of a merchants association.

Fellow island businessman Marc Kaplan thanked Mayor Richard Cerrato for having the meeting in which the business owners were invited to speak. He also urged council not to do away with its summertime code enforcement officers and replace them with police officers.

“They are actually beach goodwill ambassadors while keeping everything safe and secure,” Kaplan said. “Most of us have a vested interest in this town because we love it, not because we want power. We love this place and don’t want it to change. We want it to remain the way it is.”

Island parking is another issue council is addressing. Councilwoman Carol Scott said she prefers implementing parallel parking on Main Street for safety reasons.

Marty Friedman of Propertywatch Rental Property Services told council his company can provide the roll-back service for a $5 per-time fee, along with a $50 annual membership fee.

Scott said the trash receptacle on the island has not worked.

Town councilman Lou De Vita said when the town rolled back the cans, “nobody cared.”

Since the town implemented rules and a $25 fine for violators, “something has worked,” he said. “A miracle has occurred.”

Cerrato said it has incurred an extra cost of town employees’ time.

“We’ve learned a lesson, too,” he said. “Let the private sector handle it.”

Council instructed Parker to consult town attorney Mike Isenberg about the legalities of rewording the ordinance to state owner-occupants “should” roll out the cans no earlier than 2 p.m. the day before garbage pickup and roll them back no later than 2 p.m. the day after pickup.

Council also agreed to leave the island trash bin out for at least a month until word gets it that it will be removed.

Scott said she encourages people to continue to follow the ordinance and respect the town’s request for how it should be handled, “but we will not be fining.”