Spring is settling in across Montezuma County, and Commissioner Jim Candelaria is urging residents to take advantage of the season by cleaning up their properties and donating usable items.
On May 15-16, the county will host community cleanup days, similar to annual events held in Mancos, Cortez and Dolores. The initiative is intended to help residents dispose of trash, rubbish and green waste while addressing blight and wildfire mitigation.
Commissioners are waiving landfill tipping fees and expanding acceptable materials to encourage voluntary cleanups.
“Good stewardship starts with each and every one of us and we have to be good stewards, specifically of our own property,” Candelaria said. “Spring is a great time to clean and look around.”
Amid complaints of trash, junk and neglected properties, commissioners are in the process of drafting a first-ever blight ordinance. It would update the land-use code and could act as an enforcement tool.
Commissioners are reviewing similar ordinances – including from Mesa, Montrose, Delta and La Plata counties – to help inform Montezuma’s ordinance.
Candelaria said a future ordinance would likely focus on a small number of persistent cases – about 5% or 10% properties in the county.
“Blight is a large umbrella,” he said. “It’s still a nuisance but goes beyond a nuisance. It becomes more of an environmental issue than just a nuisance because there are a lot of nuisances out there that we can’t really take care of.”
During the two-day event, residents can bring approved materials, including household trash, tires, appliances, electronics and furniture – including mattresses – to the landfill at 26100 Road F. The events run during regular operating hours, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is only open to county residents and does not apply to commercial or business waste.
Spokesperson Vicki Shaffer said residents must show proof of residency, for example a utility bill or driver’s license.
“We encourage people to sort their loads before they come in. We are anticipating that there might be lines, and you may have to wait in line for a while,” Shaffer said, also noting the landfill site is bringing in its entire staff for those two days.
Officials point to heightened wildfire concerns this year, saying removing excess debris and waste could help reduce fire risk in a drought-stricken season.
“The (wildfire) resources are probably going to be slim to none this year just because of the drought situation,” he said. “The activity is going to be heavy potentially, and we’re going to be dependent upon ourselves to pretty much take care of it.”
Officials acknowledged some residents may face challenges transporting large items but encouraged those in need to contact the county to explore possible solutions.
Cortez is hosting a clean-up week from May 18-22, the town of Dolores has cleanup days May 18 and 19, and Mancos is doing its cleanup on May 15 and 16.
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If you go
What’s accepted: Household trash, tires, appliances (no freon), electronics and furniture, including mattresses. Additional details, including accepted and non-accepted items, will be available on the county website and Facebook page.
Hours and location: The event takes place May 15-16 during regular business hours at the landfill.
Residency requirement: The cleanup is restricted to county residents. Residents must provide proof of residency, such as a driver’s license or a utility bill.
Preparation: Residents are asked to pre-sort loads before they arrive (e.g., separating appliances, tires and household items) to match the separate dumping areas.
Wait times: Residents should anticipate lines. However, the landfill is bringing in its entire staff to unload materials as quickly as possible.
Source: Montezuma County
