City of Spokane offers free tree branch disposal, cleanup services in storm aftermath
SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane is offering free disposal of yard debris following Monday’s overnight wind storm.
Residents can bring their trees and tree limbs to the Waste to Energy Facility at 2900 South Geiger Boulevard through Saturday, October 19. The City is requesting that residents cut the branches to under six feet in length to make disposal easier.
The Waste to Energy Facility is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tree branches and pieces can also be placed in green yard-waste bins for collection on garbage days. The City requests that branches be smaller than three inches in diameter, and fit in the bin.
RELATED: South Hill roads blocked by downed trees after overnight snow storm
In the meantime, The City of Spokane is grappling with how they are going to clean up the mess, and perhaps more importantly, how they are going to pay for it.
“The crews have worked through the evening, working really hard to make the city safe,” says Clint Harris, Street Director for the City. “Normally, we’ll convert the snow plows in a month in November, so we’ve converted some trucks early from the previous storm.”
City officials are now considering dipping into the reserve fund to pay for cleanup, but also ask for some help from Spokane residents. Things like not pushing debris into the street, picking up some branches, and the like.
“There’s a resiliency about this community, and also a patience level,” says Public Works Director Scott Simmons. “They understand their neighbors are having the same experience down the street.”
That community resilience was apparent on Wednesday, as neighbors banded together to clean up areas on the South Hill.
Sam’s Tree and Landscape said it received 30 calls for service by just 9 a.m. What’s more, employees at Sun Rental Center said they had to put customers on a wait list, just to get a chain saw.
Crews will be de-icing Wednesday night in an operation they call “hotspotting.” Essentially, they are on standby, and will hit any icy spots as soon as they get the call.
For residents, they can report downed tree limbs and bad roads by dialing 311, or using the MySpokane phone app.
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