City tackles tree debris

Tree limbs felled in the ice storm mounted at the City of Odessas five removal areas through the weekend, as city employees scrambled to dispose of tons of branches that would become free mulch.

The volume of work storm cleanup presented forced multiple city departments to focus on tree limb disposal the Parks, Streets, Public Works, Solid Waste and Code Enforcement. Other employees who volunteer with Keep Odessa Beautiful also helped.

Meanwhile, Odessans like Shane Gonzales took out their trailers to help neighbors, make a little extra money or both. Gonzales said he started removing tree limbs for neighbors around his home near Bernise Avenue and Seventh Street. He said he helped some elderly neighbors for free but others paid up to a few hundred dollars.

I didnt want them to be out in the cold, Gonzales said, hauling to a disposal site at Floyd Gwin Park. But it wasnt all free. So I cant take all of the credit.

That load was his fifth. Another included a 20-plus foot tree in his neighborhood split down the middle.

This was nice that the city did this, Gonzales said. It made it a little easier.

Ector County officials on Monday announced they would open five locations to be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays through Jan. 26. They also threatened prosecution to anyone who dumps illegally at the sites.

City officials did not have a tonnage estimate of the disposed tree fragments. All would wind up at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 814 West 42nd St., where workers would grind them into mulch. (Incidentally, Odessans can go there to pick up free mulch).

Some private business took advantage of the ice-storm cleanup such as Hill County Landscape and Lawn, based in Austin but staffed by former Odessans.

My sister called and said Get down here, said one of the workers, Aaron Ashton. Theres too much work.

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City tackles tree debris