Stanley banana depositor draws local attention, city ordinances outline law on the matter

If you, or someone you know, happen to be behind the deposition of bananas on city thoroughfares, know this: though nothing thus reviewed in titles 8 or 11 mentions the “banana” specifically, you may want to watch your step: legal consequences and civic liability could ensue if the practice leads to injury on the part of pedestrians, or else slip-ping on the sidewalk in general. So what’s up with the tropical fruit peeling left on city streets? That’s what many wanted to know as recently as last week.

“Any idea why there are so many bananas randomly left on the sidewalk on Broadway?” the question was posed by a resident of the one-time “Teacher’s Corner” to this newspaper last Tuesday morning, via Facebook.

Good question.

Leaving time to get the newspaper out and delivered, it was next time to call the local police, or so it would seem. Any leads? Apparently not.

“Leaving what?” Police Chief Lance Weiland said via telephone when reached at the station Friday afternoon. Reit- erating the random banana situation, Weiland was mystified.

“I’ve never gotten a complaint on it, so this is the first I’ve heard of it,” he said of the potassium-rich peelable fruit left out on city sidewalks of late. Hightailing it over to Boyd on other newspaper business, we brought it to local atten-tion, though it seemed the word had already come over.

“Yeah, I heard about that,” a resident of the Friendly Town said of the banana mystery, offering that some thought it might be a Senior class prank, though without corroborating evidence. But that then led to a question: was it or is it legal to do so?

Directed by Sergeant Adam Kutchenmeister of Stanley Police to Titles 11 and 8 in the city code, the following came to light on what should be known about the situation: litter not picked up within 12 hours of deposition will be picked up by city staff with the bill (read “fine”) going to the depositor himself or herself). Although Title 8, Chapter 4 on Recycling includes reference to “fruit,” in “deciduous wastes” touching on public safety and Title 11 Chapter 2, Subsection 4 prohibits the obstruction of sidewalks and streets for speeches such that this prevents the free entry and exit of public places, no specific reference to “banana” was found on a statute review by newspaper staff, though depositing such in an unau-thorized fashion may lead to fine, along with other materials.

After hearing from one business owner that they thought the banana matter was “funny” and that no one was be-ing harmed by it, we made one last ditch effort to get to the bottom of it all by asking a local ambulator (person who walks around) what their thoughts were on the plant matter.

“Why, is there a law against it?” they asked pointedly, then giving their opinion on the potassium- rich benefits of fruit consumption and the need to see people whom others don’t. One thing though, is for certain: depositing random bananas, sure gets attention.

The banana situation as it appeared along First Avenue on a recent Saturday morning.