Arapahoe County Public Works and Development recently held its first cleanup day in Byers, and citizens turned out to get rid of unwanted items, scrap metal and tree debris.

The response was so overwhelming that the County’s Zoning division is looking into whether this can become an annual event in different areas of unincorporated Arapahoe County. “These events are incredibly important,” Arapahoe County Zoning Manager Caitlyn Cahill said. “They support the community and also contribute to the overall goal of Zoning and PWD programs to support and maintain vibrant and healthy communities.”

From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sept. 17, citizens were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to discard unwanted items. Dumpsters were supplied by Swim’s Disposal Service in Byers. For five hours, truckload after truckload filled four 30-yard roll-off dumpsters and one 12-yard dumpster. “We received a lot of compliments and were very encouraged by the turnout,” Cahill said. “Residents felt this was a big step in showing that Arapahoe County cares about the eastern communities.”

Cahill will examine the budget to determine if this can become an annual event and possibly expand to other unincorporated portions of the County. “Ideally, we would like to have at least one event annually out east but would also like to explore the possibility of expanding throughout Arapahoe County long term,” she said.

Along with the roll-off dumpsters, Zoning would like to offer an alternative to dispose of tree debris in the future. “There is a lot of interest in bringing dead tree debris,” Cahill said. “For future events, we like the idea of having tree limbs piled up separately and having a company come out to chip the debris. This would allow more room in the roll-offs for trash items.”