ADOPT-A-STREET PROGRAM

PURPOSE                                

The purpose of the Adopt-A-Street program is to provide volunteer community support for anti-litter and street beautification programs with the potential for a cost of savings to the City of Kirksville for use for other city purposes.  Although not required, participating groups may also wish to initiate special beautification projects (e.g. planting flowers, working with land owners to clean-up unsightly private property, etc.)

This program will reduce litter along the streets, enhance the environment and beautify the City of Kirksville’s streets.

The program is not intended as a means of providing a public forum for the participants to use in promoting name recognition or political causes.  City of Kirksville streets and right-of-ways are not a public forum.

DEFINITIONS

Adopted section means a particular section of City Street or right-of-way designated by the City of Kirksville to be adopted by the volunteer individual or group participating in the Adopt-A-Street Program.

Adopter means the individual or group approved by the City of Kirksville to be a participant in the Adopt-A-Street Program.

Adopter representative means a group sponsor or member designated to represent the volunteer group and serve as its liaison with the City of Kirksville.  The adopter representative is the person who signs the agreement.  All groups must have a sponsor in which the city can contact.  Sponsors cannot be students; they must be a faculty person or resident of Adair County.

If your sponsor changes, you must contact the City of Kirksville with the new contact person. 

Agreement means the written agreement between the volunteer individual or group adopting a section of city street or right-of-way and the City of Kirksville.

 RESPONSIBILITIES

 Every group shall prohibit participants from possessing, consuming, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs while participating in the program.

 The City of Kirksville may refuse to grant a request to participate in the program if false statements have been submitted or if habitual abuse of the rules has taken place.

 Adopt a section of street right-of-way for a minimum of two (2) years and re-submit a new application every two (2) years if the group wants to continue participation in the program.

 All participants in the Adopt-A-Street Program MUST sign a waiver and release form prior to working on the streets.  Group sign-off is to be completed each time the street is cleaned.

Each group shall provide one (1) adult supervisor for every eight (8) participants between thirteen and seventeen (13-17) years of age and one (1) adult supervisor for every four (4) participants between six and twelve (6-12) years of age.  No one under the age of six (6) will be allowed to participate in the program.

Organizations and citizen groups accept responsibility for a minimum of one half-mile section of a major city street. 

Collect litter and debris along the adopted section a minimum of twice a year, during the months from March through November, or as required by the City of Kirksville.  Periodic inspection between “litter patrols” is also recommended to identify special code, law enforcement, or other problems that the adopting organization may wish to bring to the attention of the city.

Place litter in trash bags provided by the department and place filled trash bags in the dumpster located at Public Works Complex, 2001 N. Osteopathy.  If collecting is done on the weekend, the bags may be left outside the gate, off to the side, and they will be put in the dumpster by an employee on Monday.  If the group encounters large items, tires, batteries or other hazardous materials, they may call the Public Works Department and make special arrangements for the City to pick up those items. 

Check out and wear safety vests each time trash is collected and return vests when finished.  Vests will be provided by the City of Kirksville, and should be returned during normal business hours of 7:00 am to 4:00 pm. 

The city’s Public Works Department will provide signs that identify the adopter, but are not intended to be an advertising medium or serve as a means of providing a public forum for the participants. The sign set will consist of two signs at both ends of each adopted street section indicating which group has adopted each section.

The erection of a sign is NOT a requirement for participation in the program.  The first set of signs will be provided and erected at department cost.  If a sign is damaged, destroyed, stolen, or removed from its foundation by an act of vandalism, further signs may be provided or erected at the City of Kirksville’s discretion.  If the sign is not replaced, the group may choose to request that another set of signs be placed and pay the expenses at the current cost for erecting replacement signs.

If a group adopts a section of street and does not take responsibility for it causing them to be inactive and the city removes their signs, then they will be responsible for paying the expenses for erecting another set of signs at the current cost.

MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF THE AGREEMENT

This agreement may be modified or terminated at the sole discretion of the City of Kirksville.  The City of Kirksville reserves the right to terminate the program agreement and remove the signs when, in the sole judgment of the City of Kirksville, it is found that:

A)    Continuing the agreement would be counterproductive to the program’s purpose, or        have undesirable results such as increased litter or vandalism or would jeopardize the safety of the participants, traveling public or department employees;

B)     The adopter is not meeting or has not met the terms and conditions of the agreement or any of the requirements set forth;

C)    Actions of the adopter may be contrary to any legislative restrictions or any restrictions on the use of appropriated funds for political activities.

After two (2) years of participation in the program, an adopter may terminate the agreement upon written notice to the City of Kirksville.

FORMS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:

Agreement, Street Naming, Group Waiver Form

The contact person for information regarding this program is Donna Boyd at the Public Works Department, (660) 627-1291.

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