Oak Harbor residents who have stained sofas, broken-down toilets, old tires, unwanted mannequins, forgotten toys or rotting Christmas ornaments littering their lawns are in luck.

They can get rid of their junk for free on Saturday, June 15. The city is re-instating the annual city-wide Clean-Up Day.

City council members Sheilah Crider, Nora O’Connell and Paul Brewer recently worked with the city’s public works department to figure out the logistics of a new clean-up day.

The city used to have an annual free trash drop-off day in the spring before Holland Happening, but city administration dumped it because of budget issues. Also, the city’s new garbage trucks, with their automated pick-up arms, can’t pick up big items like sofas.

But Mayor Patty Cohen agreed to re-start the program after several council members complained. They argued that it is always a good idea for the city to encourage people to clean up their yards and garages. Also, council members pointed out that some people hoard their junk all year in order to get rid of it for free on the clean-up day.

“The idea is to encourage people to spruce up their yards,” Crider said. “First, we just want better-looking neighborhoods. Second of all, we need to try to eradicate the problem with rodents we’ve had.”

After all, old futons and mattresses in the back yard or bags of clothes in the garage make perfect homes for rats.

On June 15, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., city residents can bring a truck or car-load of yard waste, recyclables and large items, like rusty chainsaws, to the Oak Harbor Municipal Shop for free disposal. The city shop is located north of the city on NE Sixteenth Avenue.

Each person must show a utility bill to prove he or she is a city resident. Only one vehicle full of junk will be allowed per residence.

“Neighbors can help other neighbors clean up their yards or garages,” Crider said, pointing out that a Good Samaritan just needs to show the neighbor’s utility bill to drop off the neighbor’s trash.

On the special clean-up day, the city will not accept regular household trash, commercial trash, refrigerators, freezers or air conditioners. Oil and gas needs to be removed from lawnmowers, weed eaters, et cetera.

Household hazardous waste — chemicals, paints, kryptonite — can be disposed of for free at either the Island County / Oak Harbor transfer station on Oak Harbor Road or the county transfer station on Highway 20 south of Coupeville.

Crider also warned people not to mix chemicals together, but keep them in separate containers with secure lids or caps.

Island County helps Oak Harbor fund the clean-up day by giving the city 50 percent off garbage tipping fees for the day. The city contracts with the county for disposal of trash.

County Commissioner Mac McDowell encouraged the city not to abandon the clean-up days. He argued that people are less likely to dump their used appliances and other junk out on county roads if they have a way to get rid of the items for free.

Also, Crider said local contractor Karl Krieg has agreed to take any large tree parts that the city’s chipper can’t handle and take them out to his job site and chip the stuff there.

For those interested in beautifying their neighborhoods on a more permanent basis, the city has an Adopt-A-Street program. Contact the public works department at 240-6443 for more information.