City crews started picking up flood debris today from curbs and boulevards in areas that were flooded.

Friday, July 14, 2000

City crews started picking up flood debris today from curbs and boulevards in areas that were flooded.

Street department head Steve Moe hoped the crews would be able to get through all the affected neighborhoods today and again tomorrow and urged that residents get the debris curbside as soon as possible.

"It has to be flood-related debris," he stressed. "It can’t include any hazardous materials like paint cans; that has to go to the Mower County Recycling Center. We are picking up appliances, but ask that those be separated somewhat from the general refuse like wet carpets and damaged goods."

Moe explained the importance of getting the debris to a street, curb or boulevard, because city staff cannot go on private property to pick it up. He added that people should take care not to park their cars in front of the refuse, otherwise staff won’t be able to do the pickup. Staff will be using a backhoe-type machine with a large bucket attached to pick up the debris.

"We’ll do it as long as it takes, but the more trips we have to make, the more it costs the city," he said. "People should get as much out today and tomorrow as they can."

Although the city will pick up only in areas that were flooded, Moe said the sites aren’t set in concrete.

"If we say we’ll pick up on the 700 and 800 blocks but we see a pile of stuff on the 900 block of a street, we’re not going to ignore that," he said.

As far as sandbags go, Moe said residents who want the city to pick them up also should put those on the curb or boulevard. If residents want to keep their sandbags, he recommended that they cover them because exposure to sunlight weakens the material the bags are made of.