Next year, cities may allow free dumping of junk, not just yard waste

Wouldn’t it be nice to get to dump anything for free during the annual free spring clean up dump week? It won’t happen this year, but it may happen next year.

March 30 to April 6 is the week when area residents can take their yard waste for free to the transfer station.

The Grand Coulee City Council, mayor, and city clerk discussed allowing residents to be able to throw away anything for free, not just yard waste, during that week, at their March 19 meeting.

“My thing is, we have an opportunity to utilize this to get some of these homes that we are sending nuisance violations to,” said City Clerk Lorna Pearce, who raised the topic. “The problem is that a lot of people who are getting these notices can’t afford to haul that stuff to the transfer station to dispose of it. We have four containers; how about we utilize them for something that’s going to help the city out instead of just getting rid of leaves and grass? I don’t think we should limit it to yard waste.”

The council and mayor were in agreement.

“I think it’s a great idea, personally,” Councilmember Tammara Byers said.

“It’s an opportunity to get rid of all that crap that’s laying around town,” said Councilmember Alan Cain.

Although the council approved the idea, the Regional Board of Mayors, which includes the mayors of Grand Coulee, Electric City, Coulee Dam, and Elmer City, has to approve the idea before it can take effect. Their next meeting isn’t until April 8, after the free dump week has passed, meaning the idea will have to wait until next year to come to fruition.