Jackson prepares for annual cleanup week

Starting Monday, Jackson residents will be able to get rid of some of their large, unwanted items during the city's annual Clean Up/Fix Up Week. During this week, residents that qualify for the city's solid waste pick-up program will be able to place items curbside for free removal.

"It is a pretty exciting event for our citizens. It gives them their opportunity to clean out their basements and garages and toss away things that normally wouldn't be picked up, things that couldn't be fit in a garbage bag. We pick up anything from large appliances to rolls of carpet to bicycles, you name it," said Rodney Bollinger, the city's public works director.

City sanitation foreman Brent Reid said every year brings a multitude of items to the curbs, but there are some types of items that seem to be waiting for crews every year.

"We do a lot of couches. We do a lot of beds," Reid said.

Of course, some restrictions to curbside pickup do apply. The city will not accept yard waste of any kind, no hazardous materials, no tires and no motor oil.

This year the city has added another restriction. Due to the expansion of the ecycle program in June, televisions and computer monitors will not be collected this year. The Jackson Recycling Center will accept those items every day during regular business hours. Because they contain hazardous materials, such as mercury, there is a $10 fee to dispose of a computer monitor and $15 to dispose of a television. These fees cover the cost of dismantling these items and disposing of the hazardous materials.

"If we pick them up, we'd have to absorb the cost. That is why we're making the change. That cost should be on the consumer, not the city taxpayers," Bollinger said.

The extra work the week brings has prompted the city to hire temporary workers to help.

"It is a very heavy week. In addition to picking up the regular trash route that our full-time trash guys do, they have to also pick up everything that is curbside. For several years now we have hired temporary work for the week, which really cuts down on our overtime. Before we had the temporary help we would work into the evenings and weekends trying to pick it all up," he said. Typically the city hires four or five temporary workers for the event.

For Jackson residents the work for the week has also started.

"I always clean out closets and my garage to prepare for the cleanup week," Jacque Buchanan said. "It's a wonderful service offered by the city. Some things are too big and bulky to take to Goodwill, or people just don't have the time to do it. This works well for everyone,"

Only Jackson residential customers may participate in the program, and depositing items belonging to a nonresident is illegal and punishable by a fine of $500 upon conviction. Also, items will be collected on a customer's designated trash day. No additional trips will be made to collect items.

For more information about Clean Up/Fix Up Week, call the public works department at 243-2300 or the sanitation department at 243-2333.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

243-8600

Pertinent Address:

508 Eastview Court, Jackson, MO