Thanks for help with Palmer cleanup week

To the editor:

The city of Palmer sends out a big thank you to everyone who participated in the 2012 Spring Cleanup Week!

We switched things up this year by allotting more time for cleanup (six days instead of one) and by also teaming up with Country Garden Farms to allow green/yard waste pick up too! This option was incredibly popular with Palmer residents; people were thrilled to see another option for yard waste, instead of just dumping leaves and grass clippings into the landfill.

During Cleanup Week we were able to divert 34 cubic yards of green/yard waste from the landfill and put it into a compost pile to generate nutrient-rich soil for local farms. Adding this option, along with collecting approximately 5 cubic yards of various recyclables we only had to put 20 yards of waste into the landfill, and we are very happy about that!

The city of Palmer would like to extend a special thanks to the following groups and organizations for donating time and/or materials: The Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce, BP, ALPAR, Ready Recycles, Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, Usibelli Coal Mine, Alaska Job Corps Center, Palmer Moose Lodge, Palmer Kiwanis, Valley Pathways, Joe Schmidt and the Department of Corrections, Backcountry Bicycles, the numerous groups of Palmer businesses and boy/cub/girl scout troops. We’d also like to thank all of the residents from Palmer and beyond who came by Public Works during the week to pick up bags and the groups who braved the windy Saturday to make Palmer look beautiful!

Thanks again for all of your hard work, and if you have any comments regarding Palmer Cleanup Week, please call Public Works at 745-3400.

Ailis Vann

David Sutton

Palmer Department

of Public Works