Hot Springs holds clean-up day

HOT SPRINGS – Couches, coffee tables, mattresses and washing machines were all gathered up in Hot Springs last week as the town completed its second Community Clean-Up Day of the summer season.

The Hot Springs Public Works Department was busy throughout the day on Tuesday, June 10 loading their trucks with all sorts of unwanted items. The department disposed of the various items at the town dump and at a burn pile/wood chipping area designated for brush debris.

Mayor Randy Woods noted some of the brush was chipped into mulch, while the town burns boards with nails and other debris.

“It’s our way to try to give people in town a hand with things they don’t want,” Julie Lazaro, the town city clerk and treasurer said.

The program debuted last year with one pick up day at the beginning of the summer and another at the end of the season.

Following the experience from last year’s item removal the town of Hot Springs decided to incorporate more disposal days for this summer to avoid a backlog of unwanted debris.

“What we decided was it would probably work better for people and the public works if there were less giant piles of stuff to pick up,” Woods said.

The trucks of the public works department moved from one side of town to the other from 8:30 a.m. to the end of the day, completing the day long clean up project.

The department stopped off at arranged pick-up sites and added to their haul as locals brought out additional items to be disposed of on the second scheduled clean-up day of the year.

“Public works was very busy during the day,” Lazaro said.  

Public works did not accept household trash or items the dump would not allow to be disposed on their premises.

“We can’t take any hazardous materials but we take the items we can safely dispose,” Ruben Loberg of the public works department said.

The workers certainly had their hands full as a wide array of disowned items filled their truck bed as they worked through the early afternoon.

By holding multiple days throughout the summer, the town of Hot Springs is lending a helping hand to residents of the community.

“We get the stuff people can’t get rid of on their own,” Sierra Lazaro of the public works department said.

The first community clean-up day was held in late spring on May 27.

Additional clean up days are slated for July, August and September, with the final pick up of the year tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, September 9.

The second clean up of the year went smoothly with public works reporting no issues following their busy day.

“They really didn’t have any trouble yesterday. I’m sure it will be pretty streamlined for next time,” Woods said.

If residents of Hot Springs have items they are unable to bring to the dump on their own they are urged to contact the town hall to schedule a pick-up on one of the upcoming clean-up days.

The early week clean up marked the start of a busy week for Hot Springs with the town preparing for the annual Homesteader Days celebration over the weekend.

“Its cleaned up a lot of yards, and helped people in town get rid of a few things,” Woods said.

The idea has seemed to take off within the community as various neighborhoods provided a variety of items to be removed by the Public Works Department.