Starting in March Lake County Code Enforcement began tackling what has become an annual task of cleaning up dump sites in remote areas, said Code Enforcement Manager Voris Brumfield.

“In last year's budget we requested funds to start illegal dump cleanups,” she explained.

On March 8 Code Enforcement began with cleanups near Upper Lake, Nice and Clearlake Oaks, said Brumfield.

Moving to another spot along the Northshore, on March 29 Code Enforcement cleaned up the Morrison Creek area, said Brumfield, which also had been cleaned up about a year ago.

Later this month, cleanups will take place at sites in Kelseyville and Cobb, Brumfield added.

The cost to do the cleanups is more than $5,000 per day, said Brumfield. The county will apply to California Integrated Waste Management Board for reimbursement.

Brumfield said most cleanups take place during the spring, when the weather is more mild and there is less concern about running into rattlesnakes.

The California Integrated Waste Management Board reports that illegal dumping is a problem throughout the state. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by jurisdictions around the state in cleaning up dumped materials, while private land owners also find themselves paying to remove garbage dumped on their land.

Code Enforcement's Web page on the county Web site – www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/DepartmentDirectory/Code_Enforcement.htm – has more information on illegal dumping and how to help prevent it.

To report dumping to Code Enforcement, call 263-2309 during working hours or contact their 24-hour hotline message phone at 263-2308. Illegal dumping also can be reported by calling 1-888-DFG-CALTIP.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Nice...
written by lenny, April 06, 2008

It's so wonderful to see this happening. This area is so very beautiful and worth the energy and effort it takes on everyones part to keep it that way, both public service individuals and citizens.
Ideally, everyone would be working together to effect change....from picking up the aftermaths to catching the individuals in the act and effecting an arrest. Of course the DA needs to be aware of the various prosecutorial laws regarding the subject matter as does the judge! But I'm sure if enough arrests were made they would get there in time!
But to date, this county has only had ONE arrest for illegal dumping, and it took a citizen yelling and screaming for over a month to get it to happen. Even then the Sheriff never played a part.

So I leave you with this...
It's great not being a County Employee and hence having the ability to share freely my thought and feeling, however off the wall sometime they might be :lol:

Rod, it past due time, that your Deputies (I site one example) sitting on a nightly basis in tandum talking with each other in their patrol cars in Clearlake Oakes, periodically position themselves at one of our MANY illegal dumping sites throughout this county and make arrests! There is no excuse for this not happening.

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Not just the Sheriff
written by max, April 06, 2008

Everybody including Code is responsible
whether its the passer by who sees the truck heading up into the hills. There seems to be a pick-up of enforcement (LATELY) even after there is a shortage in Code hOW COME NOW
Management and allocation of time could be the problem. one wonders how much field time is spent getting messes like Fowlers, or that mess on 29 that just got cleaned. That old house was there for years with junk on our scenic corridor. you know the place just past the illegal signs, and the illegal sign advertising sign making. Maybe Lenny you are makeing a new afterstein
remember Dianne Feinstine was famous for fixing things after the newspaper reported on it, and then she got aware hmmmmm.

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OMG!
written by northcagreens, April 06, 2008

Kinda a little off the subject but..........Coming home today from Ukiah.You know what I noticed! As you turn onto Hwy 29 toward Lakeport (Or you go straight into upperlake) they TOTALLY cleaned up the junk trailer property off to the right of the HWY! No more nasty housing there! I couldnt believe my eyes! That place has been such an eyesore! Junk,junk,junk.and MORE JUNK! It was so gross! I couldnt believe people actually lived there! I am glad whoever thought of doing that did the right thing!

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Morrison Creek
written by thekattb4u, April 06, 2008

Looked great when we drove by there on Friday. But Saturday there was already a couch dumped off the roadside, and this morning a whole truck load of household trash showed up at the side of the road (2 TV's, lamps, kids rocking horse, baby crib, etc.).

The sooner that gate gets built the better.

The county is soo full of considerate folks.....

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