I have made more than several attempts to partner with Cottonwood Mayor Joens and City Manager Doug Bartosh on this effort to clean up the Verde Valley highways and washes.

I have sent emails, made phone calls, sent photos to both of these Cottonwood leaders and not once have they reached out. Mayor Joens, Manager Bartosh and Folksville have a great chance to change the tide – they know the Folksville contact information and if not, then get the contact information off of the 300 plus Folksville USA posters in the store windows in the many Verde Valley towns! (Let’s make it easy: FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com)

Yes Cottonwood just did a partial cleanup but if you knew what it took to get it done you would shake your head. Just go ask some of the businesses who repeatedly called and were ignored by the City of Cottonwood to remove the furniture in the wash between Fry’s and Home Depot!

In 2009, Verde Valley School responded to the request to help with the first “Road Warrior” (now Folksville USA) trash clean up when all attempts to get Mingus Union High School involved were ignored. What does this say about the leadership of Mingus Union High School? I’m still waiting for Mr. Tim Foist to confirm our recent conversation and his “action plan” for getting the students involved! (Maybe he should contact Verde Valley School for direction?)

The ownership and responsibility of keeping the washes clean is unclear to me. One property owner in Cottonwood told me that the City of Cottonwood took possession of his wash boundary as a condition of being able to build. Hopefully the City of Cottonwood and Supervisor Chip Davis can clear this up? Bottom line, the trash in our washes are about to be flushed into the Verde River….. again!

I’ve personally picked up 401 bags of trash between 11/19/2011 and 5/15/12. Every Verde Valley citizen can contribute something to this effort, so what will you do? Folksville USA “Leap Frog” litter events are scheduled for August 18, 2012 and November 17, 2012 with a focus on Highway 260 between Cottonwood and Camp Verde.

Will you help in some way? These events can be used as fund raising activities for many groups clubs and organizations. Contact FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com for that information.

Gary Chamberlain “Point Man” FVUSA
Cornville AZ

Thanks for your message. I live in Cornville and have recently frequented the many washes within the City of Cottonwood to report on the trash that is currently waiting to be swept away …. again by the rain.

I have plenty of photographs to support this claim.

I have sent photos and letters to the City of Cottonwood and, though they did respond to a dumping site near the Cottonwood Home Depot, there still remains considerable trash from many sources – including the homeless population that is just waiting for the “Monsoon Flush” to carry their trash away.

Who is ultimately responsible for overseeing property owners messes that they – and others – create by dumping on private properties?

I have been unable to get Mayor Joens (Cottonwood) to respond to this question and am willing to identify these trashed up locations so that those responsible can clean up their properties before our drinking water starts providing furniture, sleeping bags, bottles, plastic, cans, cardboard and other items into our glass of drinking water.

I have been working with Camp Verde on the same issues associated with the trash on properties and in washes – and they have been very responsive.

Thank Bob Burnside.

These washes are a great place to collect and cash in on aluminum cans that are fetching 80 cents per pound at the Road Runner Recycle in Cottonwood.

Shouldn’t this issue concern all of those who preach sustainability? Is this just a sermon?

As the old expression goes “Got Milk?” we say “Got Water?” and, if so, what’s in it?

Sedona, thanks for all you do to keep the Verde Valley a great place to live.

Gary Chamberlain
“Point Man” FVUSA