BOZEMAN — As the weather warms up in Bozeman, more and more items seem to pile along the sides of city streets — binders, CD boxes, chairs, sofas and more. Along with the growing piles on the curb, yard sales start to pop up.
“Why did you decide to have a yard sale today?” I asked one Montana State University student.
“I think, like everyone, we have too much stuff. Make a little money,” said Luka, a junior at MSU.
Luka is excited to get unwanted items back out into the community, especially to fellow students.
“Something you don’t care about anymore, someone could be super stoked about and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, I found this for $5,’” Luka said.
But not everyone shares Luka’s enthusiasm.
WATCH: Leaving junk on Bozeman streets is illegal and could cost you up to $500 per item
“Do you see a lot of stuff when you drive around town?” I asked.
“Yeah, in Bozeman? For sure. There’s always, like, free stuff,” Luka said.
As items pile up along the streets, one question comes to mind: Are people really allowed to leave things on the side of the road and hope someone takes them?
“Having items left on the right-of-way with a free sign is always something that is not allowed. Generally, those items are something nobody else wants, and it creates a problem for us,” said Benjamin Bailey, the city of Bozeman’s Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance Program Manager.
I mean, everyone SURELY wants a broken fishing net or a popped basketball.
Bailey explained that leaving junk on public property violates Bozeman’s municipal code.
“A citation for illegal dumping could be anywhere from $0 to $500 per item left on the city right-of-way, and that is a misdemeanor violation,” Bailey said.
But there’s no need to worry — if you have junk you don’t know what to do with, the city has a solution.
“The ‘Don’t Curb Your Crap’ initiative is something MSU and the city of Bozeman work on together,” Bailey said.
For the general public, residents can contact their solid waste provider and pay a fee — such as $20 for a couch — to have bulk items picked up at a scheduled time. MSU students can have items like chairs, tables, dressers, and more picked up for free.
“We’ve handled 70 individual calls for service related to illegal dumping over the last year. So we’re consistently out there trying to ensure the city of Bozeman’s streets remain clean and clear,” Bailey said.
When I told Luka about the curbside program, his reaction was simple:
“That could be a perfect post-yard sale thing. Sick,” he said.
To learn more or sign up for 'Don't Curb your Crap' visit this link: https://www.bozemanmt.gov/departments/transportation-engineering/solid-waste/residential-collections/landfill-collections/bulky-item-collections
