Set litterers to pick up litter

I read recently that folks in our community would like to stop the litter problem in our community. I certainly applaud their effort. Placing signs throughout the community seems to me could be helpful, as has been suggested. I would like to offer another solution for consideration.

I was working with Southern Bell back in the 1960s in Cartersville. The judge in those days was Judge Davis. Judge Davis used a law that is still on the books today. The code section that I am referring to is code section 16- 7- 53. I want to thank my attorney friend Steve that I met at the YMCA for furnishing me with this code section that Judge Davis used.

There are several penalties spelled out in this code section for unlawful dumping. The one that Judge

Davis used was a section that said persons violating this law could be sentenced to pick up trash along the roads. He would assign a section of a road or highway for those found guilty to pick up the litter in the area.

We had a carpool of four employees working for Bell, going from here in Rome to Cartersville during this time. As we often saw someone picking up the litter we immediately knew that they had thrown out litter and this was one of the sentences from Judge Davis.

I don’t think there were any repeat offenders as the penalty got much worse on any second offense. So those wishing to clean up the litter in our community may want to consider this law.

Buddy Childers Rome