Resident reports carbon-monoxide scare, council discusses enforcement of burning rules

During the public-comment portion of the July 6 Lebanon City Council Committee meeting, a resident described a carbon-monoxide incident and ongoing neighborhood nuisance burning that prompted multiple police calls.

The resident said they called the fire department after detecting a problem and were advised to contact the utility and their landlord. Describing frustration with the utility’s customer service, the resident said: “I mean, she got on my nerves so bad… I said, ma'am, have a nice day, and I hung up on her.” The resident said housing staff later covered seams to vent the gas and that, that same evening, a gray SUV dumped trash into the neighborhood bin.

The resident also said a neighbor burned material on July 4 “all day up until 11:00 at night,” creating thick smoke that affected children with asthma. The resident reported calling police multiple times and said an officer (Officer Mount) later came and told the person who was burning that they were not allowed to do so.

Councilors then discussed local burning ordinances and enforcement. Members noted that state law covers open burning and that local nuisance and open-burning provisions also apply. The chair suggested asking the mayor to check with the police chief to ensure the ordinance is being enforced. A possible fine of up to $750 per violation was mentioned during the discussion.

What happens next: Council asked staff to check enforcement procedures with the mayor and police leadership so complaints about illegal burning can be addressed more consistently.