MONTICELLO — At Wednesday night’s meeting, Village Manager James Snowden addressed concerns about the growing problem of abandoned shopping carts in Monticello. Snowden shared his recent discussions with Trustee John Barbarite and Mayor Rochelle Massey about the issue and how they’ve been picking up the carts.

“At one time, we could charge people for the return of these carts, but that’s no longer the case,” Snowden said. “What I’m going to do now is start collecting the carts and not give them back.” 

He explained that if people can’t manage their carts, they don’t need them. He also mentioned seeing homeless individuals leaving carts “all over the streets.”

Snowden plans to reach out to stores, including Aldi, to address the issue. “I’m asking the Board to approve another fee to help us manage the shopping cart situation,” he said.

Village Attorney Michael Sussman agreed with Snowden, emphasizing that store security should handle the problem. 

“They’re the ones paying for the carts and have an interest in keeping them,” Sussman explained. “We need to report the problem to them.” He also suggested that if the Village has to collect and return the carts, it should charge stores $100 per cart to cover the time spent by the workforce.

Trustee Theodore Hutchins proposed raising the current $25 fee to $100 to “get someone’s attention.”

Sussman stressed the importance of directly communicating with the stores to understand their plans for resolving the issue. Snowden added that even if the fee is increased to $100, there’s no guarantee the Village will recover the funds. 

“We have no way to lean the property owner because they’re separate from the storeowner,” Snowden explained. “We could charge as much as we want, but we still may not get that money.”

Sussman reiterated the need for discussions with property owners about the problem and potential solutions. 

Hutchins reminded that if the Village keeps collecting the carts, storeowners would eventually run out of carts and be forced to buy them back. “Maybe you could make it $200 [buy-back fee],” he proposed.

Defeating the opioid issue

During the Public Hearing, Village Resident Dorothy Sanchez highlighted the ongoing issues in the community, including the shopping cart situation, and emphasized the opioid crisis in Sullivan County, which has the highest opioid death rate in New York State—108 percent higher than the state average. 

Sanchez shared the personal tragedy of losing her son, Jonathan, to a drug overdose in Monticello. 

She explained that this issue extends beyond just the Village and is a fight for the entire community—families, neighbors, businesses, and local organizations.

Sanchez stressed the importance of community involvement, saying that the opioid crisis is not just a government issue but a collective responsibility. 

She called for action, urging everyone to step up and recognize that those struggling with addiction, including the individuals seen with shopping carts, are part of the community and have personal stories.

She criticized current efforts as “band-aid solutions” and proposed that more proactive measures be taken, such as working with local churches and the Board to find long-term solutions.

Sanchez noted that Monticello and Sullivan County need to be more involved, and while a clean, well-maintained community is important, it’s meaningless without caring for its people.

Reflecting on her own experience moving to Monticello, Sanchez recalled how she was warned about the area’s drug problems. 

She vowed to continue pushing for change and hoped the community would unite to tackle the issue. “If we stand together, we can make a difference,” stated Sanchez.