PAYETTE, Idaho — Payette Police Department announced on Facebook that they will not be doing the spring clean-up this year sparking negative reactions from the public. The post cites staffing shortages and rising fuel costs as the primary culprits.
CBS2 called the city for more information and spoke with Mayor Craig Jensen. Mayor Jensen told us that the city used to be able to use prisoners housed at the Payette County Jail when asked why the mayor referred us to the jail for more information.
The city is spending 50% more on fuel prices compared to a year ago which is a major reason why the spring clean-up is not occurring this year according to Mayor Jensen.
Mayor Jensen says the fall cleanup is still happening. The county landfill is free to county residents. CBS2 has reached out to the Payette County Jail but have not been able to get a response. We will update this story if we receive one.
-UPDATE -
Sheriff Andy Creech sent CBS2 the following statement.
"My office is unaware of any request from the city of Payette for people completing community service to assist them with Spring cleanup. Mayor Jensen has been quote by Channel 2 in saying that the Sheriffs Office does not have inmates available. We do not use inmates for community service; however, we have provided people to the city of Payette for numerous years to assist with their annual cleanup. We will continue to support their community with their spring cleanup program when they request assistance. The people that we provide have been sentenced to the Sheriffs Inmate Labor Detail. They are not in custody and are completing community service."
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