Dumont businesses, volunteers pitch in for city-wide cleanup

Dumont residents and businesses recently teamed up to clean up the city.

Earlier this month, the City of Dumont conducted a city-wide cleanup to allow people to dispose of waste that had accumulated both inside and outside of their homes.

Shelly Zimmerman, who helped organize the event, said the response to the cleanup was overwhelming, both from the standpoint of those who put trash out and those who showed up to help clean up.

“Friday (June 12), I think there were between 14 and 16 wagon loads,” she said.

With the amount of trash contributed, Zimmerman said, came a considerable cost of disposal at the landfill in Allison, where City of Dumont trucks hauled the waste. In order to cover the cost of the dumping fees, SMC Insurance, First Security Bank and Trust, Dumont Telephone Company, M&G Floor Décor and Schwart Tire Service and Premier Technologies made financial contributions.

Zimmerman said that with money raised, along with continued donations, the city may be able to use remaining funds to conduct another future clean up.

She said she was impressed with those who volunteered to help collect trash, as people of all ages helped over the course of the two day event.

“We had younger kids involved, and that’s good they got that spirit of community service,” she said. “We had a lot of people step up and offer to do this.

“It was not a fun job but it worked out well and I’m just so proud of the ones that showed up to work,” she added.