Help give Marion a good spring cleaning by taking part in the annual clean-up, which started Monday and continues through Friday (April 20-24).
Whether it?s trash, tree limbs, front or backyard clutter, old junk from the basement, attic, garage or elsewhere, most things will be accepted, said Mayor Mary Olson.
?Spring clean-up gives everyone the opportunity to get rid of unwanted things with help from city crews,? she said.
The city will provide free trash pickup service, said Angela Lange, city clerk. ?All garbage must be bagged, unless it is too large.?
Appliances, such as stoves, unusable outdoor equipment (barbecue grills, old lawn equipment) and more will be accepted.
Other outdoor items such as wooden or metal garden trellises, chairs and accessories or objects no longer of value would more than likely qualify during cleanup week.
?Maybe it?s an old sofa on the front porch that pets and weather have made unsightly or tree limbs laying around because someone doesn?t have a pickup to haul them to the dump, those are the types of things the city can lend a hand with,? she said.
However, Olson noted that while tree limbs will be taken, the city does not have equipment capable of breaking down full trees or large branches.
Trees or tree limbs, she said, must be in lengths that can be easily handled by sanitation trucks.
?Refrigerators will be taken, but the freon (coolant) must be drained prior to collection,? Lange said.
The city does not remove the freon, but appliance/repair shops in the area can do this for a small fee.
A permit from the city office will be needed before refrigerators or other items using freon coolant are accepted.
City officials are not placing limits on quantity or dimensions of tree limbs, but are asking that they be placed in neat stacks and are of reasonable lengths and widths.
Any items left in the alley or at the curb will be collected on normal trash pickup days.
Some items will not be accepted by city cleanup crews.
?Even though the city will not be able to pick up old tires, batteries or used oil, some of these things are still mosquito harbors and should be disposed of properly,? Olson said.
Tire will be accepted at the transfer station, 320 W. Sante Fe in Marion, at a cost of $2 for tires up to size 16.5, which would include most pickups, said Roland Schmidt, director of the Marion County Noxious Weed department, hazardous waste site, transfer station and recycling centers.
?Tires still on the rim will cost $15 and semi tires are $10,? he said.
The transfer station is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
Batteries and used oil can be dropped off at the Hazardous Waste Facility, 141 N. Coble, Marion, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays only.
Volunteers are also needed to help clean the park areas and streets, she said.
For more information or to volunteer, call the city at 382-3703.
