The Board of Aldermen Thursday night again postponed a vote on a proposed law on roadside memorials after an emotionally charged session in which members agreed the city can’t put a time limit on mourning.
“We should wait, there’s no sense of urgency we have to do this,” said Mayor Anthony Staffieri, just before a decision to table the proposed ordinance to next month’s meeting, at which time all references to time limits will be deleted.
“I’m a family-oriented person and if something happens to my children, you’re not telling me nothing. I challenge any of you,” the mayor said, gesturing with his arms to the entire room.
The proposal, read into the minutes by Aldermanic President Kenneth J. Hughes, would have been that roadside memorials can only be up for 90 days. Thereafter, the family would apply to the Board of Aldermen for a permanent marker to the deceased that includes a public service message like “please drive carefully.”
Now it will be revised.
There are four roadside memorials on various roads in Derby, including one on Hawthorne Avenue erected in 2004 after 16-year-old Tim Garofalo died in an ATV accident.
The proposed ordinance would prevent glass candle jars from being part of the memorials, because they are a threat to public safety, but that is as far as most aldermen want to go on regulating the roadside mourning.
“This is a terrible decision to have to make,” said Alderman Beverly Moran.
Alderman Joseph L. DiMartino agreed with her.
“I agree we have regulations on what can go out for public safety, but it’s not right to have a time limit of 90 days. People need to mourn. I can’t support the ordinance as it is,” DiMartino said.
The idea for the law came from complaints that were made about a memorial set up on Derby Avenue for Claudia Woodford, who was struck by a car.
That memorial, next to the Catholic War Veterans building, resulted in shards of broken candle jar glass littering the sidewalk. It put off some residents, like Daniel Waleski.
“Individuals are doing this all on their own and I frankly urge the Board of Aldermen, rather than encourage this practice, to discontinue it and see it’s not perpetuated and not exercised too often,” Waleski said.
Wakeski said cemeteries are meant for that sort of observance, not utility poles.
“It looks like a cemetery all over the west side of town,” said resident Tom Lionetti. He favored a time limit.
Resident Frederick Picroski had sympathy for the mourners.
“Glass poses a safety hazard and teddy bears do get junky, but it’s not the wild west Mr. Waleski described, with people putting up roadside memorials,” Picroski said.
Hughes will continue working on an ordinance that is satisfactory to all concerned.
“It’s good to have one on the books. Two municipalities have asked for a copy of it. I think it will be popular,” he said.
