Clean sweep

IRONWOOD — A citywide fall clean-up on a sunny Saturday is one example of the many opportunities Ironwood residents have to improve their community.

Scores of people lined up their vehicles along the vacant lot on Ayer Street, waiting to get rid of junk, just as they do during the spring clean-up day and the popular annual “Make A Difference” day, when trash is picked up around the city by volunteers.

Mayor Kim Corcoran said on Saturday people began lining up at 6:30 a.m., although the event didn’t officially start until 8 a.m.

“It’s been going steady all morning,” city manager Scott Erickson said around 9:30 a.m. “We’re seeing more people who have boxed and bagged their refuse and that has speeded it up,” he said.

Erickson added it was good to see so many volunteers and youngsters helping out city officials and employees. “We have high school students here who are serving community service mixed in with advanced placement students,” Erickson said.

City clerk Karen Gullan checked in the vehicles and the volunteers then unloaded them.

New city employee Dan Sertic operated the front-end loader that hoisted large piles of waste into a Dumpster.

“We still have our blight issues, but I believe this is helping out,” Erickson said. “There’s no reason people can’t pick up their yards,” he said.

He said it was about the 12th year that the city has sponsored the community improvement day.