Overflowing Dumpster Upsets Elmhurst Resident

ELMHURST, IL — An Elmhurst resident aired his complaint this week about a frequently overflowing dumpster that faces his back yard.

At Monday's City Council meeting, resident Stuart Harris said his issue may seem relatively trivial compared to others that aldermen are facing. But he called the issue "deeply personal" and one that is causing distress for him and his family. It's been a problem for months, he said.

"I'm only seeking to be a good neighbor, to look after my family and to get use of my back yard without viewing a dumpster that's overflowing on a regular basis," Harris said.

He referred to his area as a "particular location." Through a search of the DuPage County property tax database, Patch found that Harris lives on South Saylor Avenue.

In June, Harris said he was in email chains with local officials, including the city manager and the assistant city manager. He said he has continued to send photos of the overflowing dumpster to the city. But he said the city's communications on the issue stopped July 1.

"I've received nothing, no communication," Harris said. "I'm not seeing an end to this or even an understanding what the next steps are. I ask for support from the council and the city management team and for some communication, so I understand where are we going with this and can there be a resolution to this."

City officials provided no respond to Harris during the meeting. But they often do not react to public comments.

Patch has filed a public records request for communications between Harris and the city.