Large trash solution just a phone call away

It took some legwork, but Dolores Chavez has learned the secret to getting furniture and other large articles left beside city trash containers actually picked up by Clovis crews.

When she moved to Clovis from Tucumcari about three months ago, Chavez noticed there was furniture on ground beside her trash bin in her alley.

“I thought the ... (city) truck would take it. They take it back home,” Chavez said. “It’s not safe for kids to walk back there trash makes for rodents and roaches.”

Chavez called the city for more information, and said it took five calls to get the correct information. She discovered the answer was simple: Clovis Public Works will come out to anyone’s alley and pick up trash too large for the trash bin.

City officials said Public Works will pick up large items about 30 minutes after a work order is placed.

Just leaving the item next to the bin doesn’t get it picked up, Public Works Director Clint Bunch said, because trash collection crews only pick up what’s inside the containers.

Bunch said the city does have a full-time crew dedicated to picking up large items from an alley, which operates on a different schedule and largely responds to work orders. Requesting the work order is a call to 575-769-2376, Bunch said.

“We are working on putting decals on the containers that give that phone number ... to direct people,” Bunch said.

Bunch said the service is free, unless it is an amount that require a flat-bed trailer. In that case, Bunch said, there a $30 charge.

“ For anybody who calls in, please place your extra trash materials behind your own property not in the middle of the alleyway,” Bunch said. “Everything that can fit in the container needs to be put in the container, if possible.

Adminstrative Assistance Tammi Marcus said when possible, citizens should take larger items to the landfill, which includes a $4 charge.

“We want this to be as efficient as possible,” Bunch said.