VINTON ­— Officials are reminding residents that a town ordinance says they have 24 hours after garbage pickup to pull their trash cans back in from the roadside.

Mayor Kenny Stinson said the ordinance wasn’t enforced under the town’s contract with waste hauler IESI “because garbage was being picked up three days a week.”

The town has since signed a contract with Waste Management, which picks up trash only once a week, and officials plan to enforce the ordinance, he said.

“There are so many cans being left by the street, and they can be a hazard for traffic,” Stinson said.

“We are going to work with residents for a few months and let them know that they have to pull their cans in. Some people have left them out for so long that they don’t know they can’t do that. I’ve seen people who take their garbage all the way to the roadside to put it in the trash can.”

Stinson said officials will warn residents for a few months by placing a tag on their trash cans. After that, people who violate the ordinance will receive a ticket and will have to appear in court, Stinson said. “We hope it doesn’t come to that,” he said. “We don’t want people going to court just for leaving their trash can out, so we need them to take them in.”

Stinson said residents who still have an IESI trash can that needs to be picked up, they can call public works at 589-7913.

(mgnonline.com)