Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 21, 1993 TAG: 9312210039
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RON BROWN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
They've got strict guidelines on manure control.
Manure management could become the buzzword of 1994 following the introduction Monday morning of the city horse patrol.
Lt. Doug Allen, who supervises the group, assures citizens that police have their manure control together.
"I've got a broom and shovel over there in the trailer," he said.
Allen's system got an early test, as Moe, the older of two horses introduced Monday morning, made a deposit in the middle of Church Avenue during speeches by Mayor David Bowers and other officials.
Allen calmly moved toward the trailer, pulled out his shovel and broom, and whisked Moe's tidings away.
"It's not the first time I've done that," Allen admitted. "I don't believe it's in my job description."
But it may be a frequent challenge. According to Virginia Tech experts, a healthy, full-grown horse can single-handedly account for five to 20 pounds of manure daily.
John Loope, one of the new mounties, said scooping is just part of the job.
"The other choice is to let it lie," Loope said. "We don't want the bad image. I know the public doesn't want that."
Loope knows what is now a novelty will become commonplace after he spends several weeks in the saddle downtown.
The new mounties will be equipped with a plastic trash bag, dust pan, and whisk broom to take care of any horse droppings that hit the street. Once collected, the manure will be deposited in street trash cans, which are emptied by public works employees.
Jim McClung, the city's manager of fleet and solid waste, said he's outside the loop on horse-manure collection at the market.
"It's news to me," he said. "I thought it was a grounds-maintenance issue. They have someone who cleans up pigeon manure down there."
Officials at grounds-maintenance say they have no idea who's handling the manure. McClung said he was unable to get any answers on Monday.
The horses themselves will be given limited food during their shifts to curb their droppings.
George Snead, the city's director of public safety, said he doesn't believe that the horse-manure collection system requires high-level consultation.
"There are more sophisticated methods," Snead said. "This is simple and clean."
Some downtown merchants have even offered to break out buckets of cleaning water to flush away remnants of horse manure left behind.
A nursery says it will take horse manure from the stables to help its flowers grow.
by CNB