It is universally accepted that certain acts of nature are beyond human control. Wind, rain, snow, lightning, floods, earthquakes, even the brilliant spectacle of falling leaves that, while still attached, may elicit our awe.

   Of necessity, the city of South Portland has spent millions to divert destructive rainwater into underground systems that direct it harmlessly out to sea. It spends millions more on salt, sand, chemicals, trucks, plows, and labor, to insure that our streets and sidewalks are free from snow and ice.

   But, when the ubiquitous autumn leaf drop blankets the urban landscape, aided and abetted by the same unseen power that releases upon us the aforementioned forms of mayhem, this equally uncontrollable, multi-colored annoyance is considered by our fair city to be a private matter.

    This, perhaps, is how it should be, since citizen participation in leaf removal is both a financial boost to the city, as well as a feel-good act of community spirit to the athletic minded, rake-and-haul folks, who love both exercise and season.

    The city picks up our properly bagged leaves at the roadside and removes them to its transfer station, free of charge. Many residents with pick-up trucks and trailers may haul their own leaves, without a penny asked.

   One aspect of this dual arrangement, however, could use a closer look.  Since many of the city’s elderly, feeble, or infirm who, for the sake of neighborhood appearances, spend their own money to hire commercial landscape companies to remove the leaves on their behalf, the city could be a little more gratuitous. These companies, of course, charge a fee for their service.

  Enter the city of South Portland Transfer Facility Fee Schedule in effect since May 5, 2005 which, for some unknown reason, demands an additional user fee of between $8 to $16 per load, depending upon the size of any “commercial” truck, regardless that the load would have been free of charge, had the customers been driving it themselves, or

had deposited their  bagged leaves, beside the road, or had friends and relatives deposit them on their behalf.

   But, in a paradoxical display irony, those who generously dig into their own pockets to assist the city in its leaf removal efforts and deserve a “thank you,” receive instead, an additional surcharge, over and above the cost of engaging the professional landscaper to pick up and deliver the leaves that they could not.

   While this may well be a case of unintended consequences, an obvious lack of municipal foresight has certainly created what could be seen by some as the appearance of either favoritism or inexplicably shoddy treatment.  When this segment of the population, who generously contribute to the benefit of the city and the beautification of their neighborhoods, instead of being praised for their efforts, are penalized by an additional tax meant for the business, but absorbed by the client, this is a lack of respect unbecoming a city that should be practicing unity and inclusion – not avarice and greed. It should find a more equitable solution that acknowledges the reality of infirmity in our senior citizen population and celebrate it. Simple mistakes happen, but the only real mistake is the one from which nothing is learned.

Robert M. Lord

South Portland