Town Clean Up Information

by Town Departments | August 6, 2018 11:45 am

Junk, weeds, and trash are overtaking our beautiful town. Although there is much truth to the saying that “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure,” what many don’t realize is that blight leads to a deteriorating quality of life for everyone in the community.

Piles of junk and refuse in yards can lead to safety and health hazards. They provide fodder for fires. Additionally, they can become habitat for unwanted visitors including prairie dogs and mice which, in our area, can be carriers of diseases such as Rabies, the Plague, and Hantavirus. More mice also means the proliferation of feral cats and snakes.

Things like old appliances, piles of tires, and abandoned cars can be an attractive nuisance to children. Not only can they get hurt playing in the wreckage, studies show that the presence of these items can invite graffiti and tagging, window breaking, and other shenanigans — which in turn leads to more problems.

Weeds and junk can lead to decreased land values for everyone and a decreased likelihood of town-wide economic development which means fewer local jobs and opportunities, fewer families moving in to replace those that have moved on, fewer kids in our schools, and fewer professionals and trades people providing important services. This also results in fewer people spending money at our local businesses buying gas, groceries, and other items.

If we don’t address this issue now, it will only get worse. Weeds will spread, junk piles will grow, and hazards will accumulate. It would be irresponsible for the Town of Mancos not to tackle this problem. However, we can’t do it alone. We need your help. Property maintenance and safety affects the quality of life for us all and thus we all need to do our part.

In the coming months, the Town of Mancos will be supporting an ongoing cleanup effort. We will be assessing the extent of blighted properties and asking residents and businesses who are not in compliance with our town codes to take measures to cut weeds and remove trash, junk, appliances, and inoperable vehicles.

We know that this is not an easy task and we do care. “We’ll have an educational campaign regarding some of the more common violations so that residents and owners are able to correct issues prior to the new enforcement effort. With this change to our process, the Board of Trustees intends to have the code enforced fairly and equitably,” said Cindy Simpson, town board trustee.

The town trustees recognize that it takes time and money to keep up a property and that some of our residents may not have the physical or financial ability to do so. During the weekend of September 14 – 16, the Town will be sponsoring a community cleanup day. Residents can bring their trash, old appliances, scrap metal, and tires (for a small fee) to the Public Works Department at 300 South Monte. Hazardous materials and e-waste will not be accepted at this time. The yard waste drop off on Road 39 will also be open all weekend.

With your help, Mancos can continue to be a healthy, safe, and beautiful community in which to raise our children and a place that our residents and visitors alike can enjoy.

Source URL: https://www.mancoscolorado.com/town-clean-up-information/