10 things you should know about the South Huntsville Cleanup
Published on April 4, 2018
On Saturday, May 19, the Annual South Huntsville Cleanup Day will offer District 3 residents a chance to pick up cleaning supplies to spruce up their neighborhoods. It will also be a chance for South Huntsville residents to drop off hazardous waste like old paint, computers, televisions, car batteries and more. Council Member Jennie Robinson shares more details about the event below.
Some of you have participated in the past and we welcome your participation again in the 4th annual South Huntsville cleanup. For those who are new or need a refresher, here is how it works.
1. What is being ‘cleaned-up?’
For this clean-up, we ask each interested neighborhood, individual or group perform a neighborhood assessment, before May 4, by evaluating each street for problem areas. This can be done by the Neighborhood Association, your HOA or one or more civic-minded volunteers. Don’t worry though, you can still participate in the cleanup on May 19 even if a neighborhood assessment isn’t complete.
The assessment looks at:
- Condition of entrances and main roads that may need “curb dressing”
- Weeds in curbs
- Litter
- Graffiti
- Code violations (hanging gutters, peeling paint, overgrown vegetation, junk cars and appliances sitting in yards, overgrown grass and weeds, safety issues, fences in disrepair, etc.)
2. Once I’ve assessed my neighborhood, now what?
Each neighborhood should report the results of the assessment via email to charita.carthen@huntsvilleal.gov by May 4, 2018. Charita will send assessments to Green Team, Community Development and Public Works for attention as needed before the cleanup day. The street sweeper will also visit neighborhoods if requested.
3. The Beautification Plan
In addition to the assessment, each neighborhood puts together a plan for beautifying their entrance including planting flowers, landscaping, painting/repairing signs, etc. Neighbors may also want to provide assistance to any aging/infirm neighbors who have a hard time caring for their yards or may want to identify streets that need leaves cleared from gutters or weeds cleared from vacant lots or other areas. Neighborhood parks may also need clean up help. It’s your neighborhood. You create the plan.
4. How do I get my neighbors on the same page?
Each neighborhood helps promote the cleanup day by sending out information via email blasts, Facebook, and NextDoor.com and by delivering flyers to neighbors. Flyers will be provided for you. Let your neighbors know the designated meeting place in your neighborhood to work on entrances, parks, or problem areas. Let them know that Green Team will supply trash bags, gloves, can catchers, scoops, etc and what they may need to bring for the kind of projects you have planned to work on (shovels, rakes, brooms, etc). Also remind people to bring sunscreen, bug spray and water.
5. Picking a leader or “Neighborhood Captain”
Neighborhood Captains can pick up supplies for their neighborhood starting at 8 a.m. on May 19 at the Sandra Moon Community Complex (former Grissom High School) parking lot in front of the auditorium on Bailey Cove Road. Captains can then take to the neighborhood for distribution. Individuals are also welcome to pick up needed supplies. Green Team will have snacks and water on site at the Sandra Moon Community Complex.
6. Early bird supply pick up
You may pick supplies up early the week of the event at the Green Team office, located at 3242 Leeman Ferry Road. Please call Green Team directly at (256) 564-8047 if you are interested in early pick up! You are also invited to join Green Team on April 6 at City Hall (11 – 1) for the annual Great America Cleanup Kick-off and Plant Giveaway. Come get your supplies for the cleanup and some tomato and cucumber plants for your garden!
7. What do I do with all the extra trash I pick up?
Any debris can be gathered and set out in trash bags in front of houses for regular weekly pick up. Large yard waste (tree limbs and branches) can be stacked on the curb for pick up. Old appliances can also be put out for pick up. The boom truck will be making extra trips on May 19.
8.What about hazardous waste drop-off?
Hazardous chemicals and electronics (computers, TVs, monitors, etc) may be brought to the former Grissom High School parking lot between 8 am and 12 pm on May 19 for delivery to the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville.
9. Report back
Neighborhoods should report back to charita.carthen@huntsvilleal.gov regarding:
- Number of volunteers
- What they did
- Any problem spots identified that need further action by Green Team or Community Development
- The most interesting or surprising thing they found while cleaning up
- Any lessons learned that could be used in planning the next clean-up day
- Send pictures of volunteers working and before and after photos
10. Rosie’s Spring Festival
As a reward for your effort in the morning, the South Huntsville Business Association will host its annual Spring Festival in the afternoon starting at 1 pm in Rosie’s Plaza on the South Memorial Parkway. Kosmic Mama will provide music and the merchants will provide refreshments and door prizes. Plan to join us for a great time after a morning of working hard to clean up our neighborhoods.
Please let me know if your neighborhood will participate. We would love to have you join us in this effort! South Huntsville always looks better when we finish.
Contact me if you have any questions. We look forward to having you join us!
