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Resident urges action as bears damage trees and trash cans; board to review stop-sign placement
Summary
Resident Mari Gramling told the Montreat board that bears have begun damaging trees and bear-proof trash cans, cited misuse of dog-waste bags, and urged traffic-calming near the Montreat Gate; Commissioner Tom Widmer said he secures his can with a padlock and Town Manager Savannah Parrish said she will ask the police chief to review stop-sign placement.
During the Town of Montreat public forum on Aug. 8, 2024, resident Mari Gramling raised multiple neighborhood concerns.
Gramling said bears are doing damage to trash cans and are now damaging trees, reporting that a bear nicknamed "Young Yogi" destroyed a wild cherry tree on her property. She also expressed frustration that dog walkers had been dropping dog-waste bags into her bear-proof trash container.
Commissioner Tom Widmer said he experiences the same problem and described securing his can with a key/padlock during the week and unlocking it on trash pickup days. Gramling suggested lowering the speed limit through the Montreat Gate and called attention to the placement of a stop sign on Alabama Terrace.
Town Manager Savannah Parrish said she will ask the police chief to review the stop-sign placement in that area. The meeting minutes do not record any formal action or vote on bear mitigation, trash-can enforcement, or speed-limit changes.
