Dear Neighborhood Cleanup Event Coordinators:

The majority of the cleanups are funded through landfill tipping fees. With the closure of Brooks C & D Landfill to the public in early 2012, funding will be tight next year. Please plan your cleanups to utilize equipment in the most efficient way possible, to help stretch those funds as far as possible.

It is also very important that you return your cleanup report as quickly as possible following your cleanup, so we can better track expected costs and also document the importance of this program. Because some of the cleanups are funded through Federal grants, it is important to capture the level of participation at these events.

Because of the popularity of the cleanup program, it is important that your neighborhood group plans your event early. It will again be necessary to prioritize the areas chosen for the cleanup (many large neighborhoods have been doing this for years). In 2012, you will still have only one cleanup date available to you.

Cleanups range from small (one or two block) cleanups to large-scale, neighborhood-wide cleanups. A maximum of 3 cleanups (2 large and 1 small) will be scheduled per weekend. We anticipate scheduling approximately 80 cleanups in 2012.

In order to maintain a well-organized, fair process, we will be accepting applications AFTER January 1, 2012. Applications are processed by date received, after January 1st.

Neighborhood associations requesting a cleanup by that date stand a better chance of getting their preferred date. We will continue to accept applications as long as there are cleanup dates available. However, the later the application is received after January 1, the less likely the chances that a preferred clean up date will be available. Please also keep in mind that we need a minimum of 4 weeks’ notice to schedule a cleanup.

Remember that there are no “rain dates” in the neighborhood cleanup program. There are simply not enough available dates to accommodate this. So, cleanups go on rain or shine.

We will again be offering a training session for neighborhoods planning a cleanup. The cleanup training will be held in March, prior to the first cleanups. The date and location of that training will be announced early next year. Every year this session serves as a good information clearing house, with many good ideas exchanged between neighborhoods.

As usual, no cleanups will be scheduled on Holiday weekends or during River Festival. This coming year the cleanup season will run between March 31 and November 3.

If you have any questions please feel free to call me at 268-4481 or e-mail me at dlegge@wichita.gov.

I look forward to working with you next year. Have a safe and happy Holiday season!

Best Regards,
Deb Legge Neighborhood Inspection Administrator (OCI Clean-up Coordinator)