Several Morris Avenue residents are not happy about a decision that has re-routed garbage trucks from a newly-paved alley where they used to pick up trash.

For years, many New Miami residents had their trash picked up in the rear alleys, and some say they were not fully informed of the village’s intentions to permanently move trash pick-up to the street curb in front of homes.

Morris Avenue resident Richard White said he received a notice from the village that garbage would be picked up at the curb in front of homes while the rear alley was repaved in early November. After the alley was resurfaced, Rumpke garbage trucks continued to pick up trash placed on the front curb, he said.

“The alley should be used for service (to residences),” White said. “I think the village should have let us vote on it or have a say in it. They should have asked the residents if they wanted (the paving) done. The alley didn’t need it.”

The original notice to residents did not indicate this would be a permanent change because council has not voted to make it permanent, according to James Lakes, the village’s streets commissioner.

“We want (the repaving) to last as long as it can for the residents,” Lakes said. “I understand we do need an answer on that, but council has to decide. We’re trying to do the right thing but it seems we always have someone fighting us.”

A county grant of just more than $100,000 funding the alley repaving project.

Eva Carbary said she has put her trash cans in the alley for pick-up since moving to her home in 1965. Health issues prevent her from being able to get her trash out to the front curb, she said.

“I feel terrible about this,” she said. “Now I have to take my trash all the way from the back to the street. I’ve called people at the village, but I have not got calls back from them. I just want them to put it back like it was before.”

Larry Marlow, an independent truck driver who has lived on Morris Avenue for the past 41 years, said he has parked his semi cab in the rear alley for years. He recently received a notice from village police that overweight vehicles could damage the new pavement.

The village was advised by its engineer that heavy trucks should not be traveling over the newly-paved alleys, Lakes said, and recommended that garbage be picked up at the front curb.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” said Roy Dawson, who has lived on the street for more than 50 years. “They come in with an ultimatum after they paved the alley saying they don’t want any heavy equipment there. Our electric and cable lines are there and they drive large trucks.”

Although he’s received two tickets for parking his truck behind his property over the years, Marlow said both of them were tossed out of court.

Marlow started the petition campaign in the small village on Nov. 28 and has been posting flyers and going door to door to talk to residents.

Lakes said Marlow is making the matter a garbage issue so he can continue to park his semi cab behind his home.

“No one was complaining until he was told that he couldn’t park his truck out back,” Lakes said.

Lakes said the village has had an ordinance since 1972 that does not permit vehicles weighing more than three tons on village streets; however it has not been regularly enforced.

A number of residents who spoke with the JournalNews said in addition to flyers and a petition they are circulating, they also plan to make their feelings known at today’s Village Council meeting at 6 p.m. at the Town Hall, 269 Whitaker Ave.

New Miami Mayor Patti Hanes was not available to comment Wednesday.