Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
John Hollenhorst ReportingDave Buehler, Salt Lake City Council: "My goal would be to make it clear that we're keeping this program."
A Salt Lake Councilman says he's heard from constituents and the message is, "Don't you dare mess with our trash program!" But another councilman says it's time to rethink it.
Soren Simonsen, Salt Lake City Council: "Sometimes for a month you can have unsightly waste in front of your house or on your street."
The Neighborhood Cleanup Program ranks right up there as one of the most popular programs in city government. When a suggestion surfaced today that it might be canceled, well, tongues are wagging.
In a lot of neighborhoods, the curbside cleanup program is so popular people compete to see who can make the biggest pile of trash. People love to grumble about government, but when it comes to trash, they love to pile it up and let city government haul it away. Over the years, Gordon Blair has piled up plenty.
Gordon Blair, Salt Lake City: "In tons or hundreds of tons? I don't know, but it's quite a bit."
And if the city took the program away?
Ilene Hayes, Salt Lake City: "I would cry, very much cry."
City councilman Dave Buehler says his phone and e-mail lit up over a threat to cancel the Neighborhood Cleanup.
Dave Buehler: "Well, this is like motherhood and apple pie."
But councilman Soren Simonsen says he'd consider replacing the cleanup with some other program.
Soren Simonsen: "We get a lot of people that come into the city limits and dump stuff illegally."
Another criticism is that people scavenge for hidden treasures, and residents mix up too much greenery with the junk.
Soren Simonsen: "I would be very interested in seeing if we can explore other options for green waste recycling, to see if we can provide a more regular green waste program, using bins or some other means."
Mickey Davis salvages the trash piles for firewood for his Mom
Mickey Davis: "Otherwise it's going to the landfill. It's keeping my mother warm."
And he advised us on the terminology for people who pick over the piles.
Mickey Davis: "well the proper term is 'salvor'. Mr. Ballard who brought up the Titanic, that's what he put on his income tax, occupation salvor."
Anonymous Salvager: "It helps the economy to recycle. It saves the city from dumping it. It helps everybody."
Well, we found plenty of trash that doesn't look like anyone's treasure. Owners ought to be glad to get rid of it.
Meanwhile, Councilman Buehler says he'll call for an immediate vote to kill the proposal and save the cleanup program.
