City aims to address overflowing trash cans

Overflowing garbage cans have been an unwanted, but common sight downtown this summer.

As tourists have flocked to Whitefish and large community events have returned, garbage containers have been filling quickly with trash piling up on the sidewalk around those containers. What once seemed to have been an issue relegated to weekend mornings of dirty sidewalks has now become an everyday concern.

The City of Whitefish is attempting to address the issues of full garbage cans, but also work with businesses owners on an option that may create ongoing cleaning for sidewalks.

City Manager Dana Smith said the city recently added new garbage containers to downtown and pickups have been increased to a daily schedule. During large gatherings, the city is also adding additional pick-ups to the schedule.

“We are obviously going through some growth challenges with the number of visitors in town with garbage and sidewalk maintenance,” she said. “We want to keep the downtown clean and it’s important that the city take the initiative on that. We are continuing to look at innovative ways to improve the garbage collection downtown to meet the increasing demand from our residents and visitors.”

Previously downtown trash cans were only being emptied Monday through Friday.

The city is encouraging businesses that provide takeout options for patrons to encourage proper disposal of containers including breaking down the takeout containers as much as possible before discarding them.

“We’re also asking patrons to take the extra step of looking down the block or across the street for an empty garbage container to properly dispose of trash,” she said.

Smith says the city has received complaints about the cleanliness of sidewalks downtown and is working to address the situation with assistance from the Heart of Whitefish downtown organization. Under city ordinance, property owners are responsible for the cleanliness of sidewalks abutting their property.

“We’d like to encourage a partnership between the city and businesses and that’s really better than the city just trying to enforce the rules,” Smith said.

The Heart of Whitefish and downtown businesses about two years ago committed to funding a seasonal city employee position to wash sidewalks. But the job has remained vacant and given the workforce shortage facing businesses, the city says it wouldn’t likely be able to fill the position again this year.

Smith says staffing limitations are increasing the difficulty for businesses to maintain sidewalks along their store fronts. Thus, reaching out through the Heart of Whitefish, the city is contacting businesses that would want to participate in a new program that would have the city contract with a private company that would wash down sidewalks for the businesses that participate.

“The intent is that city holds the contract, which decreases the cost by bringing a number of businesses together, but it’s also a way the city can support the businesses,” she said.

Chris Schustrom, with Heart of Whitefish, said businesses then and now have been supportive of the idea to find ways to clean up downtown sidewalks.

“It’s put exceptional pressure on the city by having so many people visit,” he said.

Schustrom said about 40 businesses signed on to the plan a few years ago, and about 15 have already shown interest again.

“Everybody needs to work together on this,” he said. “Businesses are understaffed and I do think they appreciate the city being proactive in trying to respond to this.”