Life, food, events, and community in Albuquerque, NM

does anyone know how to get the city to clean up an illegal dump site?

hi all-
my son is playing baseball this year at the lobo little league fields. once a week, i try to fill a random plastic bag with trash in the parking lot (there is a lot) and last week while i was doing it i found a big ol' dump site full of smushed cardboard boxes, mattresses, a sofa, and all kinds of items ancillary to such usage. i think it is coming from furniture row on menaul--at least it looks like it is--and then it is being used by whomever for whatever in the dump site (yuck).

i called 242-COPS and they actually came out, looked at the site, and said they didn't handle that kind of thing (?--i thought illegal dumping was just that...illegal); i called parks and recreation and they said to call the cops again. i called the city dump and they said they didn't handle clean up, just dumping.

does anyone have any clues as to where to start with this? i really don't want kids--mine or others--playing around this spot.

thanks!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by missy on April 30, 2008 at 9:43pm: thanks sarah! by the way, what is your icon an image of?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by misterhinkydink on April 30, 2008 at 2:58pm: Try notifying the TV news. That'll probably bring Marty himself.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by missy on April 30, 2008 at 9:40pm: you know, that is a really good idea. if mr. birch can't help me (see below), then this may be my next step. i got interviewed on channel 7 by a reporter for a UNM overbilling issue a couple of months ago, so maybe i could go pro with this whole environmental/consumer complaint thing!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 30, 2008 at 3:12pm: Sometimes it makes it easier if you get your city councilor involved. They don't seem to get the run around as much as us peons. You can contact your councilor from the city web page.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by missy on April 30, 2008 at 9:42pm: or even the councilor from the district that lobo little league is in?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Lynn on April 30, 2008 at 3:42pm: Call the NMED Solid Waste Bureau and ask them to help you. The local enforcement officer is Barry Birch, and he can be reached at 222-9511 or by email at barry.birch@state.nm.us; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by missy on April 30, 2008 at 9:38pm: thank you so much for the contact info--i will try him first thing in the morning!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Chris on April 30, 2008 at 9:47pm: Try both yours and the councilor whose district the field is in the more the merrier. Most of them do work together. If you plug Albuquerque City council into a search engine you will get to the city page that has both their contact email and a map of districts.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by missy on May 1, 2008 at 11:09am: thank you so much flaca--i'll try that as well. that sweet reporter from channel 7 contacted me as well so maybe she can get in on the action, too! it is good to know that someone has authority to clean up--everyone else that i have spoken with has claimed it was someone else's problem...; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Brendan on May 1, 2008 at 11:15am: One last suggestion- you can always call 311. That's what they're there for.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by missy on May 1, 2008 at 12:17pm: you know, i did--several times. first they told me it was UNM property (?!--i think they were thrown off because it is called "lobo" little league), then i called back and they said i had to call parks and rec (which i did, and they said i had to call the cops again), then i called again and they said they didn't handle clean up, just the stuff that comes to them. i thought it was their job, too. thanks so much for your input!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Sí Serrano aka psychomom on May 1, 2008 at 11:34am: I remember watching that video and could not believe that someone would do that, especially on camera. Be careful out there Jeremy! And come on people, dispose of your trash properly, PLEASE!!!!!; ▶ Reply to This