WHATELY — In response to complaints received by the Board of Health, new “no idling” signs will soon be posted at the Transfer Station.
“Upon some complaints, we took it upon ourselves to buy some ‘no idling’ signs … for the Transfer Station, which we will put up soon because of our staff being stuck there and having to breathe that in,” said Fran Fortino, chairman of the Board of Health. “It’s also a state law, by the way.”
Massachusetts law prohibits vehicles from idling for more than five minutes.
After meeting with the Select Board last week, the Board of Health received approval to post the same signs at other town-owned properties.
“I’m in agreement to put these up wherever we have the power to do it,” commented Select Board member Joyce Palmer-Fortune. “It’s just asking people to comply with existing law.”
Select Board member Jonathan Edwards said it is “a valid reminder” for people to avoid letting their vehicles idle for too long — not just because of state law, but because of the environmental impact of the carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere.
“I’m going to go back to … the educable moment — you need to remind people that it is Mass General Law, but also the number of pounds of CO2 that are emitted by an average car over a five-minute period of time is ‘X,’” he said. “People care, at least I think they care. I hope they care.”
“Maybe it’s a suggestion for someone who maybe just doesn’t think about it,” said Board of Health member Rebecca Jones. “We’re not going to get everyone to not idle … but I think it’s a nice thing to have out there to remind people that it is an issue.”
The two boards discussed potential locations for the signs, including the S. White Dickinson Memorial Library, Whately Elementary School, the old Center School, the Town Offices and the Post Office. Ultimately, the Select Board approved a motion to allow the Board of Health to post signs on town properties with parking lots “in the order they deem most appropriate.”
“My motion,” said Edwards, “would include points of education, so people aren’t seeing it as a mean thing, but as a teaching opportunity.”