This was posted in the Hot Springs Village People Facebook Group by group member Bobby Lamb this morning, August 2, 2020, and shared with permission.
Morning walk with the dogs
Come on people, we live in a beautiful wooded community. We can do better than this. We carry a Kroger bag with us just for this reason and yes we even clean up after our dogs when they go on the side of the roadways. STOP THROWING OUT YOUR GARBAGE. ****** neighborhood, not the main roads either; this is the actual neighborhood road.
Bobby Lamb, Hot Springs Village Resident, August 2, 2020
The roadside is not the place for trash; the cost is high
As we are all aware, littering is the act of trash being deposited where it doesn’t belong. The careless action of littering could potentially cost the Hot Springs Village POA many thousands of dollars if not kept in check. Think about how much we might have to pay a multitude of workers to patrol our roadways, cleaning up casually tossed trash if the situation got out of hand.
Like many places, people can be careless about disposing of their litter. Sometimes this is not done intentionally, but sometimes it is. As we all know, the side of the road is not the place to leave your trash and in this world, all actions have consequences, good or bad.
Another group member of Hot Springs Village People, Linda Van Scotter, said, “People don’t throw their garbage out of their cars. These are the trucks that people put their fast food garbage in and it blows off into the road they don’t even pay attention to it. I see it all the time. So they consciously put it in their truck bed but then they are unconscious that it blows out onto the road.”
Another group member opined that when people put trash in their pickup bed, they know it will fly out.
“Village Pride is Picking Up”
This is what the Hot Springs Village Property Owners’ Association General Rules and Regulations, July 14, 2020 edition, has to say:
“Litter Program: The POA has embarked on a comprehensive litter-control program for Hot Springs Village. A state fine for littering is applicable to violators. Everyone’s cooperation is encouraged in the “VILLAGE PRIDE IS PICKING UP” program.”
Littering is unsightly and unlawful
According to the *2016 Arkansas Code, Litter Control Act:
“First conviction: fine between $100 and $1,000, and eight hours of community service. Subsequent convictions within three years: fine between $200 and $2,000, and 24 hours of community service. Violators may also be ordered to remove highway litter.”
Unfortunately, we know the chances of being caught littering in Village may be slim especially if the violator litters on an isolated road.
Littering is not only unlawful, but it is unsightly and reflects badly on our community. We are working hard to portray ourselves as the gem we know we are, but if a visitor is exposed to trash laying on the sides of our roadways, what must they think of us?
Villagers help combat litter
For more than 20 years, Villagers have had a tradition of organizing litter clean up days. According to an article in the Hot Springs Village Voice titled “Pride is Alive and Well in Hot Springs Village,” “This year approximately 15 organizations (including the Balboa Yacht Club, which joined the Village Pride ranks for the first time) answered the call in keeping Hot Springs Village ‘standing tall.”
How you can help
- This is obvious, but don’t litter and be conscious of how you dispose of your trash. This includes proper disposal of cigarette butts and not throwing your trash in the bed of pick-up trucks.
- When you are out walking and enjoying our beautiful Village, carry a grocery bag with you and pick up what litter you can.
- Teach your children and grandchildren not to litter.
- Organize litter pickup groups in your neighborhood.
Thank you to our many friends and neighbors who are conscious of where they dispose of their trash and also those who help with the cleanup.
Hot Springs Villagers have ALWAYS believed in volunteerism. After all, we didn’t receive a Thousand Points of Light Award from President George H. W. Bush in 1992 for nothing. We are the only community to receive this award for volunteerism.
According to Lewis Delavan of the Hot Springs Village Voice, ” A decade later the Village also received an Arkansas Department of Human Services ‘Volunteer Community of the Year’ award for its more than 106,000 hours of charitable service valued at $2,862,921, plus $68,280 in direct financial aid and scholarships.”
Won’t you help to continue our rich history of volunteerism in the Village by joining Hot Springs Village People and participate in the “VILLAGE PRIDE IS PICKING UP” program? Please help where you can by making the Village More Beautiful, one less piece of litter at a time.
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Edited to add: Joe and I took a 15-minute walk down our street today and this is what we found:
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*2016 Arkansas Code, Title 8 – Environmental Law, Chapter 6 – Disposal of Solid Wastes and Other Refuse, Subchapter 4 – Liter Control Act § 8-6-406. Littering and commercial littering
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By Cheryl Dowden, August 2, 2020
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Click here to visit the Hot Springs Village People Facebook Group.
Lorri Street
08/03/2020 — 3:21 pm
So one afternoon as I was driving out of the dog park area I came upon a beater looking truck that had pulled over on the side of the road. I watch as a woman exits (practically falling out the passenger door) the truck. As she’s hanging onto the inside of the truck door I slowed down to see if help was needed. Once I stopped my car I saw what was happening. While the man stayed in the driver’s side with engine running the woman was tossing A LOT of aluminum cans and other trash from the passenger area into the forrest along the road. That made me cranky! Instead of asking if they needed help I instead said to both of the culprits, “you ARE going to pick up all that trash…right?” They both looked at me through glassy eyes like they had just been busted. And…quite frankly they had but only for littering our Village! I stayed at the end of the street until they put all their trash into their truck bed which was not the solution but their wasn’t anymore that I could do.
People who throw their trash out cars/truck live the same way!