Tulsan Finally Gets Debris Removed

A west Tulsa family was in an ice storm debris dilemma.  They had lots of limbs, but could not get the attention of the city to pick them up.  The News On 6's Emory Bryan reports the woman wanted her limbs picked up, but couldn't get the city to show up.

It's unfortunate, but true that sometimes the media can push government into action when citizens cannot.

There's nothing special about the pile of limbs in front of Andrea Laney's house, near 4100 S. Cedar, except that it's been there since December.

"It's obvious they've forgotten our street," said Andrea Laney.

That's despite frequent reminders from Laney, who once again called the Mayor's Action Center, with The News On 6 listening.

Mayor's Action Center: "They were saying they were going to pick it up on the second pass.    Where are you, a cul de sac, a dead end street?

Laney: "We are off of Southwest Boulevard and 40th Place."

Laney was one again told a truck was coming, but she says that's at least the third time she's heard that.

"To me it seems like now the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing," said Andrea Laney.

The pile of limbs has none of the characteristics that the city has used before to justify skipping over it.  It's not under the power lines.  It's not near a gas meter.  And, there are no parked cars in the way.

The location would be easy to miss if not for all the phone calls.  It's a cul de sac sandwiched between a highway and railroad, at the intersection of South Cedar Street and West Patton.

"If you don't know it's here, you're probably not going to find it," said the City of Tulsa's Dan Crossland.

Dan Crossland is the man in charge of the cleanup operation.  At the request of The News On 6, he immediately drove over to check it out.

"99% of it's been done, but every once in a while we find one, it's really unusual, that hasn't been gotten," said Dan Crossland with the City of Tulsa.

Crossland says isolated piles are about the only thing left in the city.  Within an hour of him calling the contractor, a truck arrived to pick up the pile of debris.

The city is still encouraging people to call the Mayor's Action Center if they've been missed.  The number is 596-2100.