Dear Editor

Let’s get everyone in Lehighton to cooperate and keep our yards, streets, parks and nature sites clean. There are too many instances of people tossing their refuse in the street and not enough of us doing something about it. I have seen things tossed in the street, left for weeks without being picked up. Finally, yours truly picks them up.

I am sure there are other people that do the same; but some apparently think that if they go out of their way to clean up after others they are breaking a sacred rule. While the lawless should learn from their mistakes, it doesn’t mean that we need to live at the brunt of their lawlessness.

Besides, the best way to teach others is by example and setting the landscape - establishing the bottom line. The other is enforcement, which we need more of. Lehighton could make a fortune in fines if they set their mind to it. There are tens of violations.

Most Lehighton residents keep their homes very well and the town does a good job doing their part. This really is a neat and clean town; but we need to be more proactive. We need more signs in our parks and in natural areas warning about fines for littering and dumping. Look what happened to the rail yards by the Lehigh River. These should provide pleasant biking and walking paths in their present retirement.

How could we let them become ruined by selfish people who don’t value nature? We need our police to be on the lookout. We need to remind contractors and residents about the proper resources for disposal. While Lehighton does provide trash receptacles in some key areas, we need to consider providing more. With just a little more effort and awareness, together, we can make Lehighton an even greater place to live.

Andrew Tannenbaum

Lehighton