Sand Springs Residents Continue To Clean Out Homes

The City of Sand Springs plans to bring in extra help to haul out debris in the Meadow Valley neighborhood, before removing the City sponsored dumpsters June 20th.

There are 150 homes in Meadow Valley. The cleanup is well underway, though 36 of the homes have not been approved to have the electricity restored.

In Meadow Valley, every home is a disaster some worse than others. The scope of it cannot be measured by the size of the pile outside.

“That's all stuff. That can all be replaced” said Virginia Ayers, one of the flood victims. “Pictures of my dead mother, my dead grandmother's quilt. That can't ever be replaced. Ever.” Ayers is throwing out things she had hoped to keep forever, and so are many of her neighbors.

The City of Sand Springs is doing what it can to help the process. Workers put out dumpsters May 31st for flood debris, but that will end next week.

“Take full advantage of it. Use it through Thursday June 20th, and that will be the last day we'll offer that service here in Meadow Valley” said Grant Gerondale, the Debris Manager for the City of Sand Springs.

The City hired private contractors to pick up flood debris at the curb and load up the dumpsters. Starting this Thursday, they'll add more dumpsters and empty them more often, to clear out what's left. Just in Meadow Valley, that's costing the City about $75,000, but Gerondale said the City expects to be reimbursed for most of the cost.

The City asks that people not put out refrigerators with compressors still in them, and to separate out hazardous materials like paint. They'll pick that up this Thursday. 

The free dumpsters and pickup will continue thru June 20th.

The City believes most everyone is well into cleaning out, but also believes there are 6 homes where nothing has been done since the flood/ They've tried to contact the owners without success.