Mayor Sherman Saunders on Tuesday officially declared the month of May as “Make Danville Shine Month.” The goal of the “Make Danville Shine” campaign is to encourage every citizen to focus on maintenance, upkeep and beautification of their property and to assist neighbors who may not be able to do so due to age or disability.
Saunders points out that it is the intangible things like a clean community that make a difference in promoting business growth and the community as a whole.
To provide expertise in home improvement and lawn care, the city will hold the second annual “Make Danville Shine Home Expo” on Saturday, May 2, from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Community Market on Craghead Street.
Nearly 40 vendors in the fields of landscaping, painting, roofing, siding, masonry, electrical, plumbing and pest control have committed to attend the expo, which this year will be held in conjunction with the opening of the Farmers Market.
“The expo is free and open to the public, and it will provide opportunities to learn about caring for homes and lawns and to ask questions about city services,” said Jerry Rigney, director of inspections for the Community Development Department. “It also will allow tradesmen to display skills, expertise and knowledge to potential customers.”
This expo will kick off the third annual “Make Danville Shine” campaign, which is a month-long initiative to encourage residents to clean-up, paint-up and fix-up their property.
Toward that goal, the City of Danville invites all citizens to take the “Make Danville Shine Pledge” to take a pledge to spend time beautifying, maintaining and improving their home and neighborhood.
The campaign motto is, “Take an hour. Take a day. Take a weekend. Take THE PLEDGE to Make Danville Shine.”
To take the pledge, go to www.MakeDanvilleShine.com.
“We urge all citizens to get involved and do their part at their house or in their neighborhood,” Rigney said. “We’re talking about simple steps that every citizen can do around their house, such as clean the gutters, paint the exterior, landscape the yard and clear their property of weeds, vines and overgrowth.”
Residents also can set debris, trash, appliances and furniture at the curbside for city Public Works crews to pick up.
In support of the cleanup campaign, the Public Works Department again this year will allow oversized piles of separated yard waste and household debris to be placed at residential curbsides for collection.
It also will waive the cost of tire disposal for up to four tires per household, and it will waive restrictions on construction and demolition debris if done by the homeowner. Restrictions will remain in place for contractor’s debris.
By appointment, crews will collect heavy debris such as bricks, rock and cinder blocks. The department’s mobile recycling trailer will be placed in strategic locations throughout the city.
For neighborhood cleanups, groups can make an appointment for use of roll-off containers.
Public Works will waive rental fees for a grapple “bucket” truck and an 18 cubic-yard trailer. Appointments are required for the rental of the truck and trailer.