Storm Lake’s annual cleanup effort didn’t just haul away junk this year — it hauled in a whole new way of doing things.
At last Monday’s city council meeting, Public Works Program and Campground Manager Kim Bolster walked council members through how the revamped Storm Lake Proud citywide cleanup worked over the past seven months.
Instead of the traditional curbside pickup, residents bought $15 tickets and took their items directly to the Buena Vista County Recycle Center. Tickets were available from Nov. 1 through May 29, giving residents a long window to clear out appliances, tires and other bulky items.
Bolster told the council the partnership with the Recycle Center made the entire process far more efficient.
The city sold 273 tickets — slightly under the 350 available — and residents disposed of 57 tons of material, including 186 TVs, 90 appliances and 73 tires. Bolster said staff at the Recycle Center were not only cooperative, but genuinely helpful.
But the program did hit a few bumps. Six tickets were mistakenly sold to people living outside city limits, and one landlord used two tickets to dump debris and 24 tires from a rental property — something the program specifically prohibits. Bolster said those costs will be billed back.
Finance Director Tyler Gibbins told the council that most address mix‑ups were tied to similar street names in Storm Lake and Lakeside.
Council members briefly discussed whether landlords should be allowed to participate in future years, with some noting that renters often lack the means to haul large items themselves. Others pointed out the program was designed strictly for residential use — not for business or renovation debris.
Bolster emphasized that the new system saved the city both staff time and overtime costs.
The Buena Vista County Recycle Center billed the city just over $8,020 for the entire program.
Bolster recommended continuing the partnership and extending the next cleanup window to run from Sept. 1, 2026, through May 28, 2027, giving residents even more time to participate. The council unanimously approved the recommendation.
