By Larry Holt

The Orange Leader

 

WEST ORANGE — Sandra Hoke and Sandra Cash, self-described “trashy ladies” because, according to Hoke they are “always talking trash” addressed the city council during public comments at the West Orange City Council meeting held Monday.

“We are part of the Keep Orange Beautiful committee which is affiliated with Keep Texas Beautiful,” said Cash.

“Our organization has been picking up other people’s trash for forty years and work together with Shangri La and their trash-off day held recently,” said Hoke.

Hoke and Cash took turns addressing the council on the issue of the city’s littering ordinance, calling the ordinance weak and antiquated.

Hoke said, “The city passed the ordinance in 1976 and doesn’t contain much. I think it’s outdated.”

Cash interjected, “I don’t think it’s enforced. “

“What good is an ordinance if it isn’t enforced?” she asked, addressing her rhetorical question the Chief of Police.

Ultimately the pair of concerned citizens suggested a $500 fine for littering and if the ordinance were enforced, “It would act like a real deterrent,” Hoke said.

The goal of the “Keep Orange Beautiful” organization is straight forward – “keep our area looking nice” for citizen pride, quality of life, and to help attract businesses to the area.

Mayor Roy McDonald announced April 20 and 21^st will be West Orange Spring Clean-Up starting each day at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. The city is providing several dumpsters to be stationed behind the Fire Station for citizen use.

The council approved 90-day extensions for temporary housing permits and waiving of building permit fees related to Hurricane Harvey and voted unanimously for the Mayor to renew existing Industrial District Agreements.

“Just something we have to do each year,” McDonald said.

In other business, McDonald proclaimed the Month of April to be “Fair Housing Month” and “National Child Abuse Prevention Month” in the City of West Orange. City Attorney Rex Peveto read the proclamations.

Peveto went further and read the proclamation that May 2018 will be “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month”.