The City of Ripon has scheduled two days for the new Spring Clean-up Program.
According to the city website (www.cityofripon.org), residents can haul off a limit of two truck-loads of acceptable garbage to the Corporate Yard, 1210 S. Vera Ave., on Saturday, May 20, and / or Saturday, June 3, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This will be a change from the once-a-year curbside service.
The Ripon City Council recently approved the new program after complaints of the shoddy appearance of city streets during this time of year coupled with increasing number of illegal dumping, scavengers taking more than just curbside items, and unacceptable trash, to name a few.
The free spring cleaning collection program is only for local residents. Those using this service will be required to show proof of residency (driver’s license or current utility bill).
Ted Johnston, the city’s Director of Public Works, has some concerns on folks taking to the change. He anticipates participation to be down the first year.
“We need to do extensive outreach to the public – part of that would be placing flyers (on the new program) in utility bills and notifications in the newspaper,” he said.
The public work staff is coordinating the clean-up efforts and will be on hand to reject items that do not meet the intent of the program.
Acceptable items would include furniture (couches, sofas, dressers, drawers, tables, chairs, beds and mattresses), appliances (washers, dryers, water heaters, dish washers, stoves and microwave ovens), garden items (patio furniture, mowers drained of gas and oil, barbecue grills), electronics (televisions, computers and monitors), sporting goods (bicycles, exercise equipment), and other goods (doors without glass, auto tires, non-pressurized fire extinguishers, carpet remnants no larger than 5 by 5 feet, toilets, sinks, and scrap metal).
Mayor Dean Uecker believes that overall the new program will be a better for Ripon. He’s also hoping that churches and other non-profit will be able to step up and help those without a truck or physically disabled by providing garbage pick-up and drop-off services.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.