Have you called John's Refuse directly and spoken with a manager?

Issue 2208906 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue.

And yes, I have called John's Refuse last week and the lady asked if I was sure if it was one of their trucks, and I said yes. She said she would talk to someone about this, and again they showed up today at 5:05 a.m. I am dismayed that this company has such little regard for the ordinance and anything I have done so far including calling the company and the Dept. of Public Works has failed to yield a response. I don't know if filing a police report will do anything to help or if I should just contact one of the consumer protection reporters that work for one of the news stations.

We have contacted John's Refuse and reminded them of ordinance concerning refuse collection hours. We will continue to monitor.

Have you considered asking your alderman about it? We have trouble often in Wooster Square, but when my neighbor asked our alderman about strengthening the law or encouraging enforcement, he indicated no other alderman had heard from constituents and since it was just her, no one cared or something. If the aldermen are representing us, and this is public problem, we should get the a better law.

They came again at 5:25! This after John's Refuse said they'd try to change their route and come later in the day and the director of public works confirming the same thing and agreeing to look into regulation on the books that allows trash collection downtown after 5 am instead of 6 am like other parts of the city. Alas, my attempts to reach the director of public works since have been futile as when I call during normal business hours, I get his voicemail or someone else answering the phone and taking a message. However, the director hasn't called me back yet. Please, city of New Haven, at a minimum, impress upon city agencies the need to be somewhat reachable by phone during business hours and the expectation that constituent phone calls are promptly returned l.

Miriam, I am currently working on a project and would love to speak with you. Message below if interested, and I will provide you with my information. Thanks.

I would love to talk to you further to get this issue resolved,

Lucy is right. The person to speak with is your alderman. Here is a link to find out who your alderman is and how to contact them. They also have public meetings, but I suggest calling. They are more responsive than public works dept, and can actually get things accomplished. http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/aldermen/index.asp

Now they are out this morning at 5:04 am so the assurances that John's would change the route so they'd come later were empty promises. It is affecting my quality of life and health to be woken up two days in a row by this. As opposed to a traditional residential trash pickup, where the truck is there for a brief while before moving on, here they are dealing with (loud) dumpsters and they are here for minutes at a time (sometimes 20). As for contacting my alder, that's an interesting idea but the regulation currently allows the trash pickup at 5 am (though sometimes the company has come before 5.) I don't know if she can change the regulation as opposed to a city ordinance. In any case, for those keeping track at home, that is two days in a row of pre 5:30 am pickups so obviously the route is designed to have John's come that early to my block. City of New Haven, Dept. of Public Works, please make it stop.

But yes, I would love to see the ordinance or regulation changed so that trash pickup is banned downtown until 7 am. Given all the residential development going on here, a downtown block could have more residents living there than a block in Westville.

The board of alderman can enact regulation or ordinance changes, but you have to contact them and make them aware of the problem. They can't do anything about it if they don't know about it. SeeClickFix can only do so much.

Department of Public works doesn't make or change city laws and ordinances, the city government (like the Board of Alders ) does. That is why you need to contact the Board of Alders, and the Mayor's office, also make yourself known at the public meetings of you want this changed.

I left a voicemail with my alder.

Good luck - I hope they listen. Maybe if enough alders hear from us they will change the legislation to protect residents rather than out of town corporations.

Also, try to see if any of your neighbors are bothered by this as well. Chances are you are not the only one, and there is power in numbers.

I do not know if the city ordinance allows for private pickup of trash at five it can be only for public.

Playing phone tag with my alder. This morning, John's came before 5 am (I noticed them at 4:59 am, so they did not follow the no trash pickup before 5 downtown regulation. So, despite assurances from Public Works and John's that the truck would not come so early anymore, it is still coming early and sometimes earlier than the regs allow. Public Works and City hall, please make it stop and change the regs to make downtown trash pickup start later than 5 am.

They should change it to at least 7 AM

They were here before 5 am this morning again. I was woken up at 4:06 am. Called the police and have followed up with my alder.

John's Refuse came today at 4:34 am. They're still here. Once again, I called the police. Once again, I was told I'd to
file a formal complaint for them to do anything. So even though they have knowledge about a company consistently breaking the law by coming too early for trash collection, they won't stake out my block and catch them in the act so no complaint would be needed. I have to file a complaint. But once I do, what type of investigation will the police do? Will they get time records from John's to see that the trucks are out too early? Will they then stake out my block? What's even more maddening is that given how long John's Refuse stays, a nearby police officer would have time from the time of my call until the time John's Refuse leaves to actually go and see them in the act. And yes, I've spoken to my Alder and followed up at her request with an email but I haven't heard back. I'm in Ward 1 in case anyone else wants to contact her.

Spoke to a sgt from the police dept. was unaware of the noise regulation. I said doesn't the police department have a copy of all city ordinances and regs? It doesn't make sense if a citizen complains about a violation of the law that he or she needs to furnish a copy of the ordinance or regulation. Then he told me that I need to file a complaint with Public Works even though as far as I know they have no formal complaint process. After my conversation, I'm unclear what the police would do if I filed a complaint. Would they go to Public Works or John's Refuse or would they insist that it's Public Work's job to enforce and not do anything?

4:49 am today for those keeping track at home.

Have you called the mayor's office 203 946-8200?

They came today at 4:58 am. So for those keeping track
At home, I've contacted the NHPD, my alder, LCI, Public Works and City Hall and nothing has worked so far. Nobody is enforcing this so the company has no incentive to actually come later.

3:44 am and still here.

Today they came at around 4:15 am and are still here. This after the company was supposedly warned that if they kept coming before 5 am, they'd get fined. So much for that. For those keeping track at home, I've contacted my alder, Public Works, LCI, the mayor's office, the police, the trash company, and one of the store clerks in a store that I believe utilizes this company for trash pickup. The only one to consistently respond to me is LCI, but whatever they're doing isn't fixing the problem for the company to keep showing up before they're allowed to by regulation. To reiterate, I want this company who is violating this regulation consistently to face consequences for their actions and I want some more responsiveness on the part of city entities I've contacted. It's frustrating when it's considered acceptable to not return a constituent's call or email ever and I wish the culture would change.

This does sound incredibly frustrating!

It might be time to contact WTNH Channel 8.

Good luck!

We are closing this request due to its historic nature. If this concern still requires attention and you still believe SeeClickFix is a viable tool for its resolution the best way for it to be addressed is for you to create a new request including a current description of what is occurring and what solution you hope to see regarding this matter, citing/linking this request in the details. Thank you for your dedication to improving the quality of life in our community.