City Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien. (WHAV News file photograph.)
With warmer weather, Haverhill streets are seeing more and more motorcycles and hearing them as well.
As a result, City councilors say, they are hearing more noise complaints from residents. Councilor Mary Ellen Daly O’Brien raised the subject at Tuesday’s meeting, saying she has received complaints from a number of people already
“It really comes down to lack of courtesy that some motorcyclists have their mufflers adjusted and they seem to think it’s their right to have that noise inflicted on the rest of us,” she said.
O’Brien admitted there was not much the Council or even police can do about the problem. She said the police would have to spend their shifts standing on corners with sound level meters, rather than performing their other duties.
Councilor Michael S. McGonagle agreed the problem comes up every spring. He suggested the Council send a letter to Haverhill’s state senator and representatives to see if there is anything that could be done at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or inspections. Councilors agreed, voting unanimously to send a letter to the state delegation.
In another matter, McGonagle made a suggestion that with the coronavirus threat starting to slow down, now might be the right time to consider coming up with a monetary bonus for Haverhill’s first responders as a way of expressing gratitude.
“They didn’t have an option. We all had an option. Most of the folks had an option. These folks didn’t because of what they do and how much we need them so. Thank you is awesome, but I think with some of the Cares Act funding that we have, maybe there should be something else, to find a way to come up with a number and send these people a bonus,” he said.
Councilors agreed the idea has merit and voted to send it to its Public Safety Committee for discussion and raise the matter again when the upcoming city budget meetings get underway.