I sent an email to the Montezuma County Commissioners to report the illegal dumping of tires in an arroyo next to my property. I didn’t hear a peep from them. I then emailed the Montezuma County administrator with my concerns about the matter and didn’t hear a peep. I called the county administrator’s office and wasn’t even sure it was the administrator as they didn’t identify themselves on their voicemail as a county office.

When I talked to the county administrator, she informed me there’s no ordinance prohibiting illegal dumping in Montezuma County! She said, “Call the sheriff.”

Take a cruise anywhere on the roads in this county and see for yourself. There’s junk, trash, abandoned trailers and vehicles in the foreground of a backdrop of gorgeous splendor: the Mesa, The Ute, The La Platas and “crap” rotting in the elements. You can’t demand pride in ownership of people who don’t care. Many work hard with pride of the appearance of their homes but are surrounded by folks who simply don’t care about the efforts others put forth to keep things “nice.”

If it has expired tags and no air in the tires, haul it away! Don’t impede the flow of water on your property with a refrigerator in the ditch. There’s a reason you pay a tire disposal fee. Tires don’t belong in the “natural” order of things. It’s time for regulations!

Keith Riker

Mancos