Cheney's 'Brooms Day' is coming

Cheney’s 11th annual Clean Sweep is just around the corner, offering what city officials are calling something of a “’Brooms Day’ celebration on April 21 where residents and volunteers can easily tackle their spring cleaning chores in a fun and cooperative effort.”

Clean Sweep 2018 offers some of the old, something new and a return of the popular with its activities. Among the latter is Shred-Fest, featuring a document disposal truck stationed at Cheney Federal Credit Union’s parking lot downtown from 9 a.m. – noon.

Cheney Planning Department GIS technician and Clean Sweep coordinator Sue Beeman said CFCU was unable to host Shred-Fest in 2017 due to Clean Sweep being so close to Earth Day, causing a scheduling conflict. The credit union booked a contractor earlier for 2018, and the truck will be on hand to dispose of up to three grocery bags of personal/financial documents.

The service is free, with CFCU requesting individuals bring three cans of food as a donation to the Cheney Food Bank.

“We’re back to shredding personal documents,” Beeman said.

Also back is the ability to dispose of used, broken or outdated electronic devices. The city contracting with GWI E-Cycling to provide this service in 2016, but when they attempted to get them back in 2017, Beeman said they found they had gone out of business.

Instead, Goodwill Industries will accept these items, including phones, televisions and computers, at their trailer in the Ace Hardware/Jarms parking lot on Cheney-Spokane Road.

New this year is the location of drop boxes for residents to bring household garbage, construction waste and metals such as fencing, barbecues and bicycle frames. Instead of two boxes at either end of the city, Beeman said they are staffing one location at the Utility Building on Anderson Road that will be open longer than previous years.

The site is paved and easily accessed by residents, she added, and will be crewed by experienced volunteers from Amazing Grace Fellowship and Faith Baptist churches, who have staffed drop-boxes in the past. Any potential drawbacks to residents could come from having to cross busy Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad tracks to access the site.

“We’re going to try it this year to see how it works,” Beeman said. “With the number of trains coming through, there could be some delays.”

Last year, Cheney residents brought in 6.59 tons of building materials — the second year that amount has increased since a low of 4.84 tons in 2015.

Also back is a hazardous household materials drop-off location for paints, solvents, oils, batteries and other items. Beeman said they weren’t able to find a contractor last year until too late, but this year lined one up early to be on location at the Recycling Center.

Several popular services instituted last year are back. Residents can nominate someone to receive free yardwork by contacting Cheney Police Department code enforcement official Capt. Rick Campbell. The one-time assistance will be provided by community groups who will supply services such as raking, pruning and yard waste removal.

“There’s a lot more work to spring cleaning than going out and mowing your lawn,” Campbell said.

Preference is given to owner-occupied homes within the city limits. Campbell said those who should be nominated for the service are the elderly, disabled or someone “struggling to meet an obvious need for a reason.”

Also back for a second year will be the Cheney School District, who will send a bus and driver to transport volunteers from the staging area in Veterans Park to assigned collection spots around the city. Beeman said this year the bus will make regular, hourly loops and will load and off-load volunteers at all grocery store parking lots.

“We’re trying to use people as efficiently as possible,” Beeman said.

Last year, 240 individuals volunteered, most fanning out around the city to pick up debris. So far, this year signups have been good, Beeman said, with over 80 students from Eastern Washington University’s Associated Student Body and Community Engagement Office scheduled to help.

Supplied coffee and donuts in the morning, volunteers will be treated to a barbecue lunch starting at noon after the pick up work is completed. Beeman attributed the success of the annual event not only to volunteers but to the sponsors taking an active role in their city.

“Sponsors provide a measurable contribution to the community,” Beeman said. “And that makes Cheney a better place.”

Clean Sweep locations and items

All times 9 a.m. — noon unless otherwise noted

Veterans Park — 8:30 a.m. check-in, 9 a.m. — noon pickup, followed by barbecue.

Cheney Federal Credit Union — personal document disposal.

Cheney Recycling Center — 100 Anderson Road, clean sorted recyclables and yard waste, open early 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. Hazardous waste drop off.

Utility Building — 112 Anderson Road, yard waste dumpster limited to Cheney residents with proof of residency. No furniture of appliances.

Les Schwab Tire Center — 7 Spokane St., tire and battery drop off. Unmounted only free, four per person, $4/each mounted passenger, $10/each mounted truck.

Goodwill Industries — 6 Cheney-Spokane Road, electronics recycled.

John McCallum can be reached at [email protected].