Inspiring Minds Want to Know; Is Rose Parade all Washed Up on Colorado?

Not much has changed since this 1907 street washer.

Inspiring Minds Want to Know;
Is Rose Parade all Washed Up on Colorado?

By Terry Miller

Would someone please alert the City of Pasadena that they need to read and inwardly digest their own ad campaign? We are in a drought, aren’t we? We don’t spray the street with water, it is against the law!
Two alert businessmen who work  in the 1700 block of East Colorado noticed something unusual at the close of business New Year’s Day. Eagle-eyed  Matt Wooten (no relation to the man arrested for stealing public funds from Pasadena) and  Josh Romero were stunned to see the City of Pasadena spraying seemingly hundreds of gallons of water down storm drains in an effort to clean up the post parade mess.
There definitely was less enthusiasm for this year’s 2015 Rose Parade and Game, according to general statistics. However, there was no shortage of revolting refuse and rubbish left by our own parade watchers and out-of-town visitors who left everything from couches and chairs to portable TV’s and old recliners and various fire-making materials (including gallons of lighter fluid) along the route of the TOR Parade on Colorado Blvd. There were food containers, knives and forks and lots of candy wrappers and tons of fast food containers and pizza boxes. Discernibly, it was felt simpler to leave their stuff in the middle of the road – to dispose of it as normal human beings would be unthinkable in this “ I , I, me, me mine!” age of self-importance.
What in years past seemed an efficient clean up system by Pasadena Public Works now appears to be a lost cause. Wooten and Romero observed heavy machinery bulldoze the miles of garbage and a few street sweepers. But mostly what caught their attention was the excessive use of water to wash the remaining filth down into the storm drains so Colorado Boulevard could look all nice and shiny again…like the previous evening didn’t even happen.
Now, here’s the sixty-four thousand dollar question: If we Pasadena residents hosed down our walkway or driveway on January 1, we’d be fined and heavily – right? I proposed a fine to the city in the form of a rebate to every Pasadena Water and Power customer, along with a mug shot of the Public Works director who gave the “go-ahead” to cleanse Colorado Blvd; washing debris, dirt and contaminants into our storm drains for future generations to enjoy.
How does a city that has “just discovered” a $6.5 Million embezzlement scheme explain the waste of water in such a thoughtless and potentially harmful way to our ecosystem?
Washing down a roadway with serious potential contaminants ( i.e. lighter fluid), cigarette butts, condoms and all sorts of paraphernalia into our storm drains cannot be good. It shouldn’t be rocket science either. A broom is the answer…perhaps Pasadena Public Works is just plain lazy! The city has 2000 employees. As a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy put it: “Why doesn’t Pasadena adopt a plan like West Hollywood, where there is an extremely efficient way of using brooms almost with military precision after any of their large events.” Surely a few overtime hours with a broom could have been authorized! Just ask Lawn Soaker Larry.

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