Newburyporters' ears will be burning on Wednesday night. And someone — whether it is a designee of the mayor, a city councilor or councilors, or a public health official — ought to be stepping up with a fire extinguisher to put it out.
The issue is a public hearing in Everett, where the stench from an Everett-based wood waste company is filling the noses of residents there.
Sound familiar?
It should. That facility in Everett is run by William Thibeault, the same man who has been attempting to cap Newburyport's Crow Lane landfill for years. He's been doing such a bad job at it that the neighborhood around Crow Lane is often overwhelmed by the sulfurous stench of the rotting materials that Thibeault is trucking in from — you guessed it — Everett.
Ironically, many in Everett are under the impression that their woes are caused by Newburyport's foot-dragging.
Newburyport has temporarily shut down Thibeault's capping operation due to rampant violations at the site. But this fact seems to have been lost in a spin campaign being waged in Everett.
Everett and Newburyport have a common problem. They should be working together on this in a united way.
One step toward that is presenting Newburyport's case at the hearing. No doubt it will evoke sympathy and understanding, and perhaps help both cities move toward dealing with their common problem.
Mayor John Moak has said he can't go due to a prescheduled meeting on his proposed tax hike. And the city's health director also can't go, Moak said.
Someone should go, and it would be nice if there were a strong showing. Everett people ought to know what Newburyport has been suffering through for the past five years.
There's at least a handful of people in Everett who have taken the time and effort to make pleas to Newburyport to show up at this hearing. That's a plea that Newburyport ought to listen to.
In the fight to cap the landfill and end the sickening stench, Newburyport needs all the help it can get.
The hearing is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Everett City Hall council chamber.
