Attention City of Rifle residents! Here comes your chance to rid yourself of that clutter you have been tripping over for the past year. That pile of junk will be picked up by City crews right in front of your house. It’s the 11th Annual Spring Cleanup!
This event has been very successful in Rifle over the past several years. Over 350,000 pounds of trash was disposed of in 2017. Spring Cleanup is organized by Rifle Community Service Officer Sara Flores and carried out by an army of City employees from various departments. Since her job is Code Enforcement, Officer Flores is no stranger to finding illegal dump sites.
“People would be surprised by how much trash we find on City open spaces and public lands. This event helps put a dent in that,” says Flores. This is your opportunity to have that hard to get rid of item picked up at your curb.
The collections will start April 23rd and run through May 3rd. Where you live determines the date of pickup. If you live EAST of Railroad Avenue and Highway 13, you will need to place your items curbside on Sunday night, April 22nd. If you live WEST of Railroad Avenue and Highway 13 OR anywhere south of I-70, please have your items out Sunday night, April 29th. City crews will only make one trip through your neighborhood. Do not put items out more than 72 hours ahead of time.
You should be aware that there are some rules for placing items out for collection. The most important is no hazardous materials or electronics. So don’t put out your old computer and printer. Brush and tree limbs must be neatly stacked and tied. Finally, absolutely no loose trash. Small trash items and leaves should be bagged.
According to Mike Altman, City of Rifle Operations and Maintenance Supervisor, “Everything has gone really well in past years. Putting stuff out there loose is the only problem we run into. We have to shovel it up or pick up individual pieces. Metal should also be separated out since it is disposed of at a different location.” So be considerate of the men and women doing us this favor and make it as easy for them as possible.
So how much stuff can you get rid of? The limit is less than 5 cubic yards per residence. To help residents put a visual on what constitutes 5 cubic yards, Altman says it’s 8’x 5’x 3.3’.
There is also a big bonus for residents who act quickly. Beginning April 16th, the Rifle Police Department will be handing out a very limited number of free TV disposal coupons you can take to the dump. These will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. You will need to bring proof of residency to receive a coupon.
So start rifling through your garage citizens of Rifle! It’s time to get rid of that broken high chair now that your youngest has just left for college. Most important, be respectful of City crews. This is a great service and well worth the 5 second delay you may experience when driving past. Perhaps you could even say “thank you” as you cross paths on your way to your now clutter-free home.
For more information, call 970-665-6525, check the City websites or Facebook page or pick up a flyer at the Rifle Police Department, 201 East 18th Street.
Rifle Rapport is a monthly article featuring the people and projects of the City of Rifle. If you have suggestions for future articles, please contact Kathy Pototsky at 970-665-6420 or kpototsky@rifleco.org.