Newspaper rapped for unwanted deliveries

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - The Republican Extra, a weekly advertising supplement packaged in a purple plastic bag that is left on the sidewalks, front lawns and driveways of thousands of city homes every Wednesday, is being illegally distributed by a third-party company, according to city officials.

City Council President David Narkewicz, a longtime member of the city's ordinance commission, said he began reviewing the newspaper's distribution method after receiving numerous complaints from residents of his ward who were tired of seeing the supplements littering their neighborhood.

"I started receiving complaints about this several weeks ago, including several from people who live right on my own street," Narkewicz said. "Frankly, this is annoying to me, too. I don't subscribe to the Republican, but once a week these purple bags show up in my driveway."

Through his research, Narkewicz said he found that the company's distribution method was in clear violation of City Ordinance 272-3, one that restricts the placement of playbills, posters, notices, advertisements or printed papers of any description or medium on public or private property within the city. The only exceptions to the rule, according to the ordinance, are newspapers sending editions to their purchasers.

"If I subscribe to the Republican or the Gazette and someone comes by to throw my newspaper on my front doorstep, that is not considered litter, but that's not what this is," Narkewicz said.

On Dec. 10, Narkewicz met with City Engineer James R. Laurila, the designated enforcement agent for the ordinance, and together they sent a notice to Frederick F. Fedesco, vice president and general manager of the Springfield newspaper, notifying him of the problem and warning of a $100 fine levied for each violation.

"This correspondence is sent to notify the Springfield Republican of these violations of the anti-litter ordinance and to provide an opportunity for you to make changes to the way in which these advertising supplements are distributed. A response to this letter is requested outlining actions to be taken to comply with this ordinance," the letter read.

Narkewicz said since that time, officials at the newspaper have committed to modifying the delivery system being used by the subcontractor they've hired to distribute the supplements, possibly by hanging them on doorknobs rather than leaving them on sidewalks, driveways and doorsteps.

"It is my understanding that they have until this coming Wednesday to remedy the problem," Narkewicz said. "That had been the plan to my knowledge."

Repeated efforts to contact Fedesco for comment were unsuccessful Friday.

"The other piece of this, separate from the issue of having stuff strewn all over city sidewalks and driveways, is being in communication with the Republican about having some kind of an #opt-out mechanism,' because there are people who just don't want to receive it, period," Narkewicz said.

Residents react

Barbara Dubeck, of Massasoit Street, said she decided to publish a letter to the editor in the Jan. 24 edition of the Daily Hampshire Gazette as an open notice to area residents looking to cease delivery of the supplement after hearing from several neighbors who called repeatedly without results.

"This isn't even the newspaper. This is an advertising supplement that is being thrown onto every single property on Massasoit, and my street is not the only one being affected by this," Dubeck said. "Why is the Republican allowed to make the assumption that people want it?"

Another area resident working to stop the supplements from littering his neighborhood is Rich Winnick, 63, of Washington Avenue, who said he picks up as many as 30 unwanted bags every week when he takes his dog for a walk.

"I just got back from taking our dog for a walk and I can tell you there was a house on Washington Place that had four of these damn things sticking out of the snowbank melting on their front walk," Winnick said. " Every time I see one that has been lying around for more than a couple of days I bag it up."

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettenet.com.