(The Alameda Times-Star posted the following story by Chauncey Bailey on its website on November 13.)
OAKLAND, Calif. — The city has made a 10-year agreement with the Union Pacific Railroad to reduce illegal dumping along railroad tracks, particularly in East Oakland.
City Attorney John Russo said Wednesday that the pact will save the city thousands of dollars in cleanup costs and address concerns from area residents.
Union Pacific officials said the company will install anti-littering signs, construct fences in some areas and work with city officials to investigate and prosecute dumping and impose stiff fines for violators.
Russo attended a signing ceremony at the corner of Russet Street and 107th Avenue, along with City Council President Ignacio De La Fuente (Fruitvale-San Antonio), Interim City Manager Deborah Edgerly and Department of Public Works Director Claudette Ford.
Esther Westbrook, who has lived in the neighborhood for two years, was there to show her support. “It’s worse on some days than others,” she said later. “You will see furniture and TVs out here.”
Her church, True Love Christian Center, which also operates a recovery center, has adopted the area from 105th to 107th avenues. “Our church members have been getting out picking up trash every morning,” Westbrook said. “We want to give back to the community.”
A few hours after the morn-ing press conference, Westbrook
said other crews were busy picking up trash. “It’s great,” Westbrook said. “It didn’t take them long to get started. I didn’t know who to call for help until this morning.”
James McClendon, 85, of East Oakland is active with his Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council and the nonprofit Keep Oakland Beau-tiful. “This illegal dumping has been a constant problem for awhile. The railroad company was not taking a lead-ing role until now. It’s a positive first step.
“People would come out here at night instead of going to a dump yard because there’s a lot of space and it’s not visible, no one’s watch-ing,” he said. “You see some abandoned vehicles but mostly trash from peoples’ homes.”
Russo said it took about 18 months of negotiations to come up with the agreement. He said he hopes in 10 years the agreement will continue after increased patrols by the city and Union Pacific.
“We also hope to change the culture by then so people are not using Oakland as a dumping ground,” he said.
“It’s disrespectful to the East Oakland community. And it’s the ‘broken window theory’ — if people see trash they think it’s OK to keep dumping.”