Neighborhood Clean Up enhances community

Whenever several dozen volunteers, businesses and organizations partner with the City of Rolla for what has evolved into an annual event that begins at 6:30 a.m. on a Friday morning, you can be sure they are making a commitment to make a difference in their community.

The 4th Annual Operation Neighborhood Clean Up, which is coordinated by the Rolla Police Department and the Rolla Ministerial Alliance, was another big success this year as eager and willing volunteers made a significant dent in beautifying and sprucing up the Huffman Trailer Park located at the corner of Hwy. 72 and Pinetree Road, and portions of the Johnson/Laird subdivision. Two of the great benefits of this project, as envisioned by the leadership at the Rolla Police Department, is that it enhances the neighborhood’s sense of community and it helps to increase property values.

The operation, which is exactly what it is, involves the heavy equipment, fuel and manpower of Rolla Municipal Utilities, CenturyLink, and Fidelity Communications. Several volunteers, businesses and members of the Rolla Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol also provide power tools such as chain saws, weed eaters, blowers, rakes, gardens tools, and just about anything necessary for a beautification project of this magnitude.

And while special recognition and thanks needs to go first and foremost to the volunteers who turn out year after year for this event, a very special thanks needs to go to the event organizers, Police Officer Vince Giacolone (RPD), Chris Foster, Associate Pastor, Greentree Christian Church and Sgt. Jeremy Martens (RPD). The Christian Life Center and Vineyard Church were also very involved in the event.

 A special thanks also goes out to the event sponsors, including Donut King, Country Mart, Panera Bread, Coke, Pepsi, Kroger, Meeks Hardware and  J. Martens Construction. In addition, special thanks go to the following City departments: Rolla Police Department, Environmental Services, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Administration and Rolla Fire & Rescue.

While we are on the topic of neighborhoods, I’d like to remind everyone that during the fall season when leaves are falling and folks are out in the yards raking leaves, Rolla residents can get their leaves picked up by the City of Rolla Parks and Recreation Department for a nominal fee from Nov. 1 through Dec. 9. We would like to emphasize that all leaves must be raked to the curb along city streets, but not into the streets themselves. Per City ordinance, no leaves can be placed in the streets, gutters or ditches. Leaves will be picked up by a large vacuum and deposited into a large dump body and trailer and then taken to the Phelps County composting site to be recycled. Leaf pick-up will take place Monday through Friday (leaves will not be picked up after 12 p.m. Friday or during weekends and holidays). New users of this service must pay a $150 refundable deposit or leave a credit card number. The fee is $50 per half hour with the minimum charge of $50 and all fees must be paid within two weeks of the service being completed. Credit card payments (Visa, Master Card and Discover) are preferred. Homeowners will also be required to sign a Hold Harmless Agreement. For more information, please contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 341-2386.

In addition, the City's Environmental Services Department will continue to pick up leaves bagged in biodegradable paper bags through Dec. 16. Biodegradable brown paper bags can be purchased at several stores in Rolla.  These bags should be out to the curb by 6 a.m. on your normal trash collection day. The department will resume regular collection of yard waste March 1, 2012. The compost site, located at the north end of McCutchen Road near the Rolla Recycling Center (2141 Old St. James Road), will remain open during normal operating hours for anyone wanting to haul yard waste to that site. For more information, please call Environmental Services at 364-6693.

In closing I’d like to remind everyone that The Way We Worked Smithsonian Exhibit will open to the public next Saturday, Nov. 19 (noon-4 p.m.) at The Centre and will run through Dec. 17, 2011. For more information regarding hours, special programs, exhibits, and speakers, please visit the City of Rolla’s Website (http://www.rollacity.org) and click on “The Way We Worked” tab at the top. For more details about The Way We Worked exhibit, please contact Scott Caron, the City’s Recreation Director, at 573-341-2386 or Loretta Wallis, Corporate Relations Manager, Brewer Science, at 573-364-0444, ext. 1357.

Have a safe week!