Clean-up nets a wide variety of refuse

Rick Hurd, driving the loader, places refuse from the city-wide clean-up into a dump truck. The clean-up took about two weeks to complete. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

Fort Scott's city-wide clean-up yielded at least 90,000 pounds of everything from brush to furniture and scrap metal.

Conducted this year over a two-week period, it covered the area south of Sixth Sixth Street on the east and west side and north of Sixth Street also on the east and west side. The sweep wrapped up last Friday.

"We usually run two crews with four to five guys per crew," Street Supervisor Chad Brown said. "Sometimes it takes up to three days to clear a section."

The weight of items collected is based on estimates of construction and demolition material such as scrap lumber, mattresses and old kitchen tables, Brown said, and hopper material such as everyday trash and clothing.

Refuse is taken to the city landfill and brush dump site. Metal goes to a local recycling location, Brown said.

"It's actually a good program. It helps keep the city of Fort Scott clean," Brown said. "There are a lot of people who can't take stuff to the landfill, or can't afford to hire someone" to haul it away for them.

"It helps everybody out," he said.