COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JANUARY 10, 2018
3A
CART-ED
AWAY
City issues first vote on shopping cart ordinance years in the
making
Cottage Grove residents who are found with retail shopping carts outside
the boundaries of the store may soon fi nd themselves being carted away.
cmay@cgsentinel.com
The city council voted on Monday to adopt an ordinance governing the
theft of shopping carts around the city and while jail time is not listed as a
consequence in the statute, residents could face a fi ne of up to $100.
The issue has come before the board numerous times within the last fi ve years without any action being
taken. However, after councilman Ken Roberts reported collecting more than 200 shopping carts around
town over the span of six months, city staff began drafting a resolution.
Chapter 8.29 of city code defi nes a shopping cart in violation of the statute as an “abandoned cart.” Carts
removed from the premises without permission of the owner are considered stolen and subject to legal
action.
Several businesses around the city have complained about the theft of shopping carts, often used by
what the city describes as low-income individuals to cart home groceries. However, larger chains such as
Walmart have refused to comply with the city’s current method of handling the carts that wind up on side
streets and intersections.
"Walmart does an inventory of its carts every 30 days," Roberts said. "When they come up sort, they just
order more. They don't care about their carts littered all over our community."
Councilor Jake Boone, during a previous meeting agreed and, after city staff suggested holding carts that
were picked up for 30 days, ventured this, "Do we have to recycle them after 30 days or can we charge
them a storage fee? So, that big businesses that keep letting us collect their carts can be paying us thousands
of dollars, eventually? I'd be happy to hold them and keep sending bills to Arkansas until they come get
them." Walmart is headquartered in Arkansas.
Under the new ordinance, cart owners must retrieve their property within 72 hours of being notifi ed or
face a $50 fi ne per cart. Unclaimed carts will be held for 30 days before being disposed of.
Cart owners will also be responsible for funding signs at public entrances and exits notifying shoppers
that unauthorized use of a cart is a crime and supplying a toll free number that members of the public can
use to report abandoned carts.
Cart owners will also be responsible for funding signs at public entrances and exits notifying shoppers
that unauthorized use of a cart is a crime and supplying a toll free number that members of the public can
use to report abandoned carts.
The signs, as well as the penalty for not retrieving carts was discussed at length during a council meeting
By Caitlyn May
in December with councilors concerned over the
added cost to store owners.
Grocery Outlet owner Ed Sowa came before the
board, seeking a solution to lost and stolen carts
noting that each cart cost approximately $100 and
those funds were taken directly out of his pocket.
The business, Sowa said, started with 100 carts
and has since lost at least 20 totaling $2,000.
Sowa cited minimum age increases and slim gro-
cery profi ts when asking the council to consider
any potential statute’s cost to businesses.
Councilor Mike Fleck agreed, saying, “It’s not
the businesses’ fault.”
The ordinance was approved unanimously and
will come before the board for a fi nal vote later
this year.
ore
We Fetch You M yo
ur door!
…and deliver it all to
Th e Carl M. Kebelbeck VFW Post Auxiliary 3473
We wish to thank the people of Cottage Grove who contributed to
our 15th annual program to support the local members of our troops
overseas. We were able to send 111 boxes to our troops serving in
Afghanistan, Germany, Iraq, Italy and on ships in the Indian Ocean and
other locations around the world.
Post #3473
We would especially like to thank the staff and patrons of the following
business’s who contributed and helped fi ll our barrels in their
establishments:
Bi-Mart • Safeway
And especially the bowlers and staff at Cottage Bowl
We will do this again next year and are always seeking names of those
serving in our Armed Forces overseas!! Please call 541-942-7099 if you
know of local Military members who are serving overseas.
Get FREE e-edition access
with your subscription!
Our e-edition gives you full online access to all of the
valuable features included in our print edition, plus bonus
weekly deals and shoppelocal.biz.
Local Events, Entertainment & Special Off ers
Local News
Weekly Coupon Savings
Restaurant & Dining Coupons
Th emed Special Sections
Local Jobs & Classifi ed Listings
Local Real Estate
Local Sports Reporting
Games, Puzzles & TV
Subscribe Today
with our most fetching off er yet!
Weekly Delivery,
Only $30.00* a year
New Subscribers only
Subscribe online
use code NY2018
Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Cancel anytime!
541.942.3325
Plus, Subscribe by phone by
January 12, 2018, and your
First Month is FREE!
We are a local Oregon Law firm helping people with
asbestos related cancer claims.
Call us for a FREE INVESTIGATION
into your eligibility for compensation.
*This offer is not transferable and the offer is available those who have not subscribed in the last 31 days.
Special introductory off ers are limited to no more than two special subscriptions in a twelve month period and
must be paid in advance to qualify for special rate. Once the above discounted period ends, you will be billed at the regular subscription rates.
S entinel
C ottage G rove
116 N. 6th St. • PO Box 35
Cottage Grove, OR 97424
www.cgsentinel.com
541-942-3325
1-877-928-9147
333ċ!(/+* !%(ċ+)