Using SWAP Program is Not a Solution to Event Cleanups

As a follow up to last week’s "The Way I See It" commentary, I’d like to address a frequently made suggestion on how we can find a solution to the garbage problem following events in the community. Most of the events in question in The District and area are held on weekends and many event organizers dip into their own earnings to fund cleanup operations needed afterward. In a way, that affects the bottom line for the fundraising organization.

The other problem is finding an organization or groups of people willing to work post-events to cleanup those areas. In other words, it’s a manpower issue. So why not turn to a source used on many weekday events, the Adams County SWAP Program?  The prisoners have been used for many events over the years like Gus Macker and Avenue of Lights setups.

According to Adams County Sheriff Brian Vonderhaar, this suggestion was brought up at a recent Adams County board meeting. Unfortunately, the SWAP program personnel can only work on weekdays per their union contract. So the challenge is on for some group to step up and form a group to do cleanup detail after events. Could be a good opportunity for some enterprising young people?

It is not beyond the possibility that some of these events just might dissolve because it becomes too work intensive to continue them including a post-event cleanup operation.  No one wants that to happen. Any individual or group interested? And that’s the way I see it.