At the request of Dexter, Lima, Lyndon and Sylvan townships as well as Washtenaw County, the Chelsea City Council unanimously approved a township clean-up day on May 17 at the city’s Werkner Road solid waste and recycling facility Monday night.
The clean-up day will take place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will allow township residents to bring not only regular recyclable materials but also items such as water heaters, propane tanks, mattresses, furniture, TVs and computers, appliances, building materials, batteries, tires and rims and yard waste.
The request was approved contingent on providing a certificate of insurance, an agreement to reimburse the city about $3,000-$4,000 in costs for the event, and that the townships and the county provide adequate staff to man the event and assist the traffic flow both on and off the site as well as inside the site as people take items from drop-off area to drop-off area.
In previous years, the townships held a spring clean-up for residents to bring these types of items but it has been several years since an annual clean-up took place in Western Washtenaw.
A representative from the county told the City Council that the county underwrites most of the $25,000 cost for the clean-up day.
City manager John Hanifan told the council that “historically, our (the city’s) cost is $3-$4,000.”
Both Dexter Township Supervisor Pat Kelly and Lyndon Township Supervisor Mark Keezer spoke to the City Council prior to the vote expressing the importance of this event to the townships.
“This day is very important to the townships…especially if you don’t like (seeing) couches and refrigerators in ditches and we’d appreciate your consideration,” Kelly said.
Chelsea Councilman Frank Hammer, who is also the chairman of the Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority Board, was also in agreement that this was an event that should take place. He agreed that with all the participants that it was a chaotic day but he was in full support.
In the past, residents have loaded down their vehicles with everything from old tires to old computers and driven into the Werkner Road site where they are directed by volunteers to specific drop-off areas planned in advance for different types of materials.
Further details of costs and what items will be accepted at the spring clean-up day will be forthcoming.
