JAMESBURG: Borough business cited for garbage

By Maria Prato-Gaines, Staff Writer
   JAMESBURG — Local and county officials cited an area Dunkin’ Donuts five times last week for health code violations in reference to garbage that had accumulated outside the business’s Dumpster.
   Borough Zoning Officer Bernie Long said he issued the first ticket on Nov. 19, after noticing nearly 10 garbage bags piling up outside the business’s 200 Buckelew Ave. location.
   ”There were bags of garbage on the ground and seagulls ripping them open,” Mr. Long said. “Garbage has to be in a sealed container.”
   Dunkin’ Donuts shares a Dumpster with other businesses located in the complex. However, after inspecting the contents of the bags, Mr. Long said, labeled products with the business’s logo pointed to the source of the garbage.
   Calls to the Dunkin’ Donuts owner were not immediately returned.
   Every day that the problem was not resolved, Mr. Long issued another ticket. By Nov. 21 the trash bags were finally gone, he said.
   The County Health Department would not comment on the case, but Mr. Long said the agency issued two of the five tickets.
   ”We’re concerned about residents in the area,” Mr. Long said. “We don’t want rat and vermin problems. You’ve got a lake there, a mess of food on the ground and we don’t want residents providing the shelter.”
   Lenny House, owner of CARS Group Inc., a neighboring business to the doughnut shop, said he has confronted Dunkin’ Donuts employees about garbage bags accumulating outside the business in the past.
   Since a recent change in ownership, Mr. House said he hasn’t had any issues with the business and suggested that the installation of newer compactor machines may have caused some confusion with Dunkin’ Donuts employees.
   The franchise’s owner is expected to appear before a municipal judge on Tuesday. If found guilty of all five violations, the owner could pay more than $500, Mr. Long said.