Last Friday, Health Department chief Mary O’Connor put it to the folks at Garelick Farms.
Get your act together or be fined – and be fined everyday, she told the firm’s leaders in so many words during a heated meeting.
She was doing exactly what she’s supposed to do, which is to enforce the local laws against nuisance odors ruining the quality of life that have been omnipresent on the Lynnway for many, many months.
The Garelick Farms people seem well meaning enough, but they don’t really want to do what ought to be done, which is to become a state of the art milk production company that is a good neighbor.
The firm believes it is out in the woods somewhere where it doesn’t matter how badly it stinks up the environment.
O’Connor has the power to fine Garelick Farms.
We urge her to do just that.
This is a company that has not been a good neighbor – and now the Department of Environmental Protection is keeping close watch, and O’Connor, too.
She has told us that as long as Garelick Farms appears to be acting in good faith, she will not fine the firm.
We believe there is some credence to this policy – although she has said if the odor exists late Monday afternoon, it is fine time for the Lynnway milk company.
We believe the fine is long overdue.
The company was recently fined for some of the same offenses, including air quality violations at its Franklin plant. And the fine wasn’t $1,000. It was $15,000.
Until Garelick Farms is fined and fined substantially it will remain the bully next door bullying others and ruining their lives until those being bullied fight back.
The fine is fighting back.
Garelick Farms will understand the logic of a fine and will respond to a fine with much greater enthusiasm and timeliness than with no fine.
Fine them $1,000 everyday and the smell will ultimately disappear.
Don’t fine them everyday and the odor will remain.
It is as simple as that.
2 comments for “Lynn’s health chief Mary O’Connor Should fine Garelick Farms”