Spring cleaning includes tire and trash sweep

West Memphis keeping city beautiful with community cleanup effort

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

The city of West Memphis marched forward in efforts to clear the city of junk tires and trash. According to Public Works Director Michael Bonner, city crews took to the spring cleaning and picked up hundreds of tires off the streets in the last month and Mayor Marco McClendon took initiative placing free Dumpsters for trash around the city though Monday. One dumpster was for tires only.

“We are helping clean up our community one tire at a time,” said McClendon.

“We’ve moved several hundred tires over the last few weeks,” said Bonner to public works commission during its April meeting. “I do not know where we get all these tires

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West Memphis got after spring cleaning, offering free bins round the community like this one at West Memphis Christian School. City residents may drop off trash and debris through Monday.

Photo by John Rech SWEEP

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from. Last week we picked up over 400 tires. One spot we picked up 30 tires and I was informed this morning that there was another 30 tires back in the same place. They are still coming. We placed a dumpster at the city shop. If people will come by the shop and leave them at the bins marked tires only.”

West Memphis residents have today through Monday, April 19, to take tires to the disposal dumpster at the city shop, 511 East Jackson.

The mayor called on citizens to report tire dumping. A new litter control crew continued picking up along roadways.

“Whether it’s on an Interstate Highway, a city street or a rural road, you can help keep West Memphis clean by reporting people that illegally dump tires and trash by calling city litter control at (870) 732-7671,” said McClendon.

The mayor thanked Crittenden County Judge Woody Wheeless, the Quorum Court the county road department for helping city crews dispose of the tires collected. Tire disposal efforts are funded in part by the East Arkansas Planning and Development District.

While tires make a big part the trash problem, the city also made strides to combat litter.

“We are doing the best we can to pick up trash; we do have ordinances,” said Bonner. “Anything we think doesn’t belong we do everything we can to pick it, because we are trying to pick it up to clean the city. For this season, the spring time, we are going to pick up everything we possibly can so West Memphis can be as beautiful as possible.”

The mayor arranged for trash and debris bins to augment the spring cleaning efforts. Community Dumpsters were placed in parking lots at the Eugene Woods Civic Center, 212 West Polk Ave.; West Memphis Christian School, 1101 N. Missouri St.; and the Roberta Jackson Neighborhood Center, 1300 E. Polk Ave. also though Monday, April 19.