storyhill.net, Oct. 9, 2006

Shopping cart ordinance rolls back to committee

Oct. 9 -- A proposed city ordinance that would require grocery stores and other retailers to tag their shopping carts and find ways to keep them on site was sent back to committee after aldermen realized that no one had told retailers about it.

Ald. Robert Donovan, sponsor of the measure, also said during a Common Council meeting that the cost of implementing the measure was not known.

The new ordinance is needed, he said, because "these carts are disappearing (from retailer lots), clogging up our streets."

Donovan, in response to questions from Ald. Michael Murphy, at first said retailers had been informed of the proposed requirements.

Later in the meeting, however, Donovan double-checked and learned that retailers had not been notified. He asked that the measure be returned to committee.