Montezuma County is moving ahead with efforts to clean up the county through clean-up days and a possible ordinance about trash.
At their meeting Tuesday, the county commissioners said they don’t want to address the broader issue of blight because it’s difficult to define.
“Blight can be very broad and subjective,” said Chair Jim Candelaria. He said the county Planning and Zoning Commission does not recommend taking on that challenge.
Candelaria said it’s better to work on an ordinance addressing rubbish and trash.
Attorney Stephen Tarnowski said he will work with planning director Don Haley on a draft ordinance about those issues, and a public hearing will be set for people to provide feedback.
Candelaria urged people to take advantage of upcoming clean-up days both in the county and in its three municipalities. All those are scheduled in May.
Cortez is having a clean-up week from May 18-22. Dolores has clean-up days on May 18 and 19, Mancos on May 15 and 16.
That weekend, May 15 and 16, is also the time of the county’s clean-up.
On those days, tipping fees at the landfill will be waived for Montezuma County residents (not commercial businesses) disposing of approved items, including household trash, tires, electronics, appliances not containing Freon, and furniture, including mattresses.
A county press release says the theme is “Take Pride Where you Reside.”
“Residents can bring approved materials, including household trash, tires, appliances (no freon), electronics, and furniture (including mattresses) to the landfill during regular operating hours,” the release says.
“The event is open to Montezuma County residents only and does not apply to commercial or business waste. Additional details, including accepted and non-accepted items, will be available on the county website and Facebook page.”
Candelaria said the county and municipalities are “trying to put forth a great effort to try and get the county picked up and cleaned up and to get a lot of rubbish off of the landscape so that we don’t have any accidental fires that break out.”
Looking at a picture of trash dumped on a local property, Commissioner Kent Lindsay said fighting any possible fire around that pile of trash would be very difficult because it would be necessary to get in and stir the items.
“It takes a lot of time to fight a fire like that,” Lindsay said. He said the items would “sit there and smolder for days on end.”
