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Coalition Forms to Stop Illegal Dumping in Highland Park

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April 14, 2003
Contact: Kathy Moran
Public Affairs Manager
313-494-4423
morank@focushope.edu

Clean-up of 2 Dumping Sites Begins April 14

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich., – An all-out community effort to stop illegal dumping in Highland Park and to clean up two of the worst areas of dumping that the city has ever seen began today with the help of a coalition of government, business, churches, and community organizations.

Heavy equipment will remove thousands of tons of construction material, scrap tires, and household waste that have been dumped in two areas bounded by the Davison service drive between Thompson and Hamilton, north and south of the Davison freeway. Cleaning these two areas is expected to take about two weeks and will be followed by a community-wide effort to report and prosecute those who dump trash in the community as well as to clean up other areas in the city.

The Illegal Dumping Task Force, convened by Focus: HOPE, has been working for months to pull together the resources needed to take on this huge effort. "Apparently, some people believe that because Highland Park is in a state of emergency, they can dump their trash here illegally and get away with it," said Emergency Financial Manager Ramona Pearson. "With the help of this coalition, we are establishing zero tolerance for dumping. We have put steps in place to stop dumping and prosecute persons caught dumping in our community."

Focus: HOPE, a human and civil rights organization, was outraged at the blatant dumping that is devastating the community adjacent to its campus. "We are addressing neighborhood quality of life initiatives as an extension of our civil and human rights mission," said Eleanor Josaitis, CEO and co-founder of Focus: HOPE. "The dumping situation in Highland Park is unconscionable. We're grateful to all our partners who are working together on this clean-up effort. It truly is a community effort."

The task force has met over the course of several months to identify the resources to clean up the areas of illegal dumping and to develop a strategy to prevent the problem from recurring. Community resources are being mobilized to ensure that there will be zero tolerance for dumping in this area in the future. Enforcement strategies have been mapped out, and future dumpers will experience the full force of the law should they dare to dump in this area again.

In addition, people in the community of Highland Park are banding together to report violators and to clean up other areas of the city. Eastern Star Missionary Baptist Church is spearheading efforts to involve the community in the clean-up effort.

Members of the Illegal Dumping Task Force and their roles in the clean up are:

• Focus: HOPE in Detroit, facilitating the task force

• City of Highland Park, providing equipment and manpower, modifying its ordinance to facilitate prosecution of illegal dumpers, and providing public safety response to reports of illegal dumping

• Highland Park Weed and Seed, coordinating the clean up, submitting the grant proposal that generated a portion of funding for the project, and mobilizing the community

• City of Detroit Police Department, providing photos of the site

• Michigan State Police, assisting in law enforcement efforts

• New Center Hauling in Detroit, providing hauling services as part of a Supplemental Environmental Project with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality

• Eastern Star Missionary Baptist Church, coordinating community involvement

• State of Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, monitoring the clean-up and hauling, arranging for tire disposal, coordinating aerial photos of the site

• Texas Encore Materials of Romulus, disposing of scrap tires which will be processed into asphalt, astro turf, and auto parts

• Wayne County Executive's Office and Department of Environment, providing on-site supervision, logistical planning and signage and arranging for landfill space and temporary barriers.

• Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, providing $5,000 grant and drafting Highland Park ordinance revisions

• Wayne County Roads, providing temporary barriers to facilitate the clean up

• Wayne County Sheriff's Office, providing cleanup manpower in the form of supervised low-risk jail inmates

Starting immediately, the Highland Park community will be vigilant in catching and prosecuting those who illegally dump trash in the city. Residents have been advised to get descriptions of individuals and vehicles seen dumping trash and to call 313-252-5000 to report findings. Interim Highland Park City Administrator Jan Lazar is optimistic that community involvement will discourage such flagrant violations. She praised the neighborhood, public and private partnerships that will improve the community.

"It's going to take the whole community working together to revitalize the neighborhoods," added Josaitis.

To learn more about Focus: HOPE, visit www.focushope.edu.

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