An ordinance that would prohibit donation bins in Lafayette Parish is back before the City-Parish Council Tuesday. The measure was originally before the council as an introductory ordinance on Jan. 18, but the ordinance’s sponsor, District 6 Councilman Sam Doré, pulled it off the agenda.
The original ordinance stipulated that such bins — specifically for donating unwanted clothing — could not be used by for-profit companies. Non-profit agencies such as Salvation Army and Goodwill were exempted from the ordinance, and news reports at the time identified as the genesis of the ordinance requests to Doré by Salvation Army and Goodwill — a pre-emptive strike, if you will, to prevent for-profit companies that collect unwanted clothing and then resell it overseas or recycle the clothing into rags and other products from setting up shop in Lafayette Parish and cutting into the donations collected by the non-profits. (No companies of this type are currently registered to do business in Lafayette Parish.) In fact, the original ordinance made specific reference to protecting the stream of clothing donations of the non-profits.
But Doré pulled the ordinance and had LCG’s legal department write a new draft stripped of references to for-profit and non-profit entities. The new ordinance instead using the term “unattended donation collection bins” and stipulates that such bins must be on private or leased property where an employee of the entity is on duty — “attending to,” in other words — seven days a week. The rewording accomplishes what the original ordinance sought — it prevents for-profit companies from collecting unwanted clothing while shielding non-profits.
... written by James Melancon , February 01, 2011 - 01:39 pm
"rewording accomplishes what the original ordinance sought"
Not really Walter. For profits who conform to the rules get the same treatment.
... written by Walter Pierce , February 01, 2011 - 02:08 pm
Technically true, James, but as I understand it the business model of these for-profit companies doesn't include seven-day-per-week presence at the bin.
... written by holeinthedonut8 , February 01, 2011 - 04:11 pm
simply put-Goodwill doesn't do anything that the For-profits don't do as well or better. Do not assume non-profit status means they're not rolling in dough using NPO status as a shield. This is a ruse to profit the sugartit that GW has going here in Acadiana where people still think GW provides help to disabled people. Not
... written by NORTHSIDIAN SHOTGUN , February 02, 2011 - 08:51 am
Is Goodwill a member of Durels Goonies the Plastic balls LPCC, Goodwill not for profit, Hah, neither is a Political Office.. Take a major financial hit and ask Goodwill for help, the local Cajun comedians should pick up on that treasure of comedy material, Goodwill help ? My wife and I both saw the Missus Goodwill wearing my wife's Mardi Gras Ball Gown last Mardi Gras which we donated to Goodwill, now if this is not profitable, maybe she has a receipt of purchase, maybe not.
... written by Goodwill Housing Resident , February 02, 2011 - 12:15 pm
Goodwill does more for the community than they are getting credit for. I live in a housing project that Goodwill sponsored and it is a very nice place to live, it is clean and well run. The Goodwill Staff is very attentive to our needs and without the support of the donations Goodwill collects and turns in to dollars it wouldn't be possible for us elderly residents to get the services that are provided to us. I am greatfuly Goodwill is part of our community and ready and willing to serve individuals.
... written by Goodwill Housing Resident NOT , February 02, 2011 - 10:14 pm
MOre non profit housing? Does the FBI know about that?
... written by James Melancon , February 03, 2011 - 09:08 am
Goodwill Housing Resident "Goodwill does more for the community than they are getting credit for." ------------------------
There is always some good but there is a question of efficiency and honesty in the motive. Too often non-profits hide behind the do good shield as a front to line there own pockets.
... written by Linda Larkan , February 03, 2011 - 02:45 pm
Nothing against Goodwill or any other non-profits that collect donations in bins, but I don't quite understand why they are being protected at the expense of private enterprise. Is there some part of the story that I am missing or not understanding? Why would we prevent a private entity from opening a business using unwanted items? Are we really worried that our community has a shortage of "junk"?
You must be logged in to post a comment. Log in using your Facebook account or register if you do not have an account yet.
JUNE 17 If anyone ever wonders why Saints fans hate Atlanta with a capital H, here's a good indication. Radio "professionals" at an Atlanta station created an entire segment around making fun of former Saints player Steve Gleason, who is now paralyzed by ALS. Listen, nobody's ever accused DJs of being rocket scientists. But how could someone think it is amusing to pretend to ask a man with a degenerative, fatal disease if he will be alive next week? The DJs have been fired, and are now whining about how gutless their former bosses are. Wow.
JUNE 18 Here's the latest from the Advocate on the fatal hit-and-run accident allegedly involving the president of the Livingston Parish School Board. He's accused by police of hitting a 21-year-old man on a highway early Sunday and driving away. The man died at a hospital later. On Monday, police seized the president's truck and towed it away. But he's available for board meetings: apparently a $500 bond is sufficient for this type of thing over in St. Helena Parish.
JUNE 18 Former broadcast journalist Griffin Scott has posted this plea on his blog for financial assistance from his readers. Scott, who says he was fired after he wrote something fairly innocuous (for Facebook) on his wall, is suing a media giant for his job back. He's framed himself as David going after a bloated media giant, and he's probably not far off.
JUNE 18 Here's a fairly absurd column posted on DIG Magazine about the completely absurd practice of naming killer storms. Tornadoes don't have names. Blizzards don't have names. But hurricanes do, and there's a big process to bestow them, Jacques Cormery writes. He's right about the crazy assemblage of names -- this year, there's everything from Tanya to Humberto -- and his idea that we don't waste good names on killer storms is a good one.
JUNE 17 Political columnist John Maginnis has some advice for Louisiana Republicans: grow up. After the schism that occurred in this past session - fiscal hawks teaming up with Democrats to spank the Republican "majority" and hand Gov. Jindal his, er, aspirations for continued solon control -- they need to figure out how to get along with each other, Maginnis writes.
JUNE 17 Here's the Picayune's obit story for Dorothy 'Miss Dot' Domilise, the lady who made poboys at the uptown restaurant that bears her name. Miss Dot moved to New Orleans during World War II, where she met and married her husband Sam. When she passed away Friday she was 90, and had spent more than 60 of those years working at the restaurant on Annunciation Street.
JUNE 17 This editorial in the Advocate speaks in favor of the consent decrees that have federal judges overseeing police operations and the sheriff's parish prison in New Orleans. Mayor Landrieu and Sheriff Gusman can't get along, so outside forces, like the Inspector General and the judges, are needed to make sure things run right, the editorial opines.
JUNE 18 Here's a post from Manny Schewitz on Forward Progressives that is good for a chuckle. Manny had an epiphany back in November, and is sharing it with us today: he believes that Fox "News" is killing the GOP by pandering to right wing nuts. Now, don't get it twisted: Manny's not broke up about it. He says he enjoys watching the downward spiral with a shot of whiskey and "a schadenfreude chaser."
In rendering his ruling, District Judge John Trahan all but called the real estate developer a liar for inconsistencies in his accounts of what prompted him to punch a school teacher unconscious.
Frank’s Casing Crew, now doing business as Frank’s International, will make its final appearance on ABiz’s list of the Top 50 Privately Held Companies in Acadiana this year, and once again, it will likely be at the top with more than $1 billion in annual revenues. The 75-year-old company specializing in tubular fabrication and installation services to the oil and gas industry plans to go public this year.
The defeat, or rather highjacking of House Bill 420 in the final days of this year's Legislative Session, say Reps. Vincent Pierre and Terry Landry, is the result of the propaganda spread by one unidentified local media outlet and an unnamed former state Representative, but nothing to do with the original legislation's lack of checks, balances or details.
City-Parish Council Chairman Brandon Shelvin heaped steady doses of condescending ire on a Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Louisiana executive while failing to reveal his financial ties to a BC/BS rival.
Abbeville native David Primeaux was a popular professor until his death late last year, and while he was successful at camouflaging a dark past, he couldn’t outlive it.
Tehmi Chassion’s failure to recuse himself in the school board’s selection of a group health benefits provider raises ‘serious questions’ on whether he violated state ethics law.
He’s a singer. A songwriter. A piano man. A family man. He’s even got his own Wikipedia entry. He’s David Egan. And he knows ancient secrets about the monolithic stones of Stonehenge that he’s not willing to share.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Not really Walter. For profits who conform to the rules get the same treatment.