Owners of Welch Avenue businesses are tired of cleaning up after students who leave a variety of debris during the weekend, and now they are taking matters into their own hands.

Diane Riedemann, co-chairwoman of the Campustown Action Association, said the business owners have decided to pay out of their own pockets for the streets to be cleaned.

“We’ve hired a private street cleaning company to work on Monday mornings to keep Campustown looking nice,” she said.

The committee decided to have the streets cleaned on Mondays because of all the activity on the weekends, Reidemann said.

“On Monday, it’s horrible,” she said. “The streets are covered with paper, food wrappers, bottles, newspapers and all kinds of other stuff.”

Penny Soat, co-chairwoman of the Campustown Action Association, said the private street cleaners cost the organization about $60 per week. There are 35 Campustown businesses that belong to the association.

Judie Hoffman, Ames City Council member, said the trash on Welch has been an ongoing problem. Hoffman said she realizes the street is used by a large number of people, but each person should be responsible for throwing away trash.

Soat said certain events at Iowa State create more trash for business owners to dispose of.

“The trash doesn’t have to be a problem,” she said. “But at certain times, it’s a big issue.”

Soat said the businesses and the city work well together to keep the streets clean during Veishea. Student organizations are hired to help clean up on Monday mornings.

“During Veishea, extra trash cans are placed in Campustown,” Hoffman said. “The cans are also emptied more often.”

Hoffman walked along Welch the Monday after the Iowa State football team beat the University of Iowa, and noticed a lot of litter.

“There was a lot of trash, and unfortunately most the trash cans were not even close to full,” she said.

Hoffman said each business and resident along the street is responsible for cleaning the sidewalk in front of their addresses.

“Someone needed to take care of this dirty problem,” Riedemann said. “I’m disappointed that the city is not taking a more active role.”

Ames Mayor Ted Tedesco said the Campustown trash problem had not been brought to his attention. “I hope that people would be more respectful, instead of dumping their trash wherever they are,” he said.

Soat said the Campustown Action Association is working to make the area look better, and so far the private cleaning crew seems to be a success.

“We have received a lot of positive feedback,” she said. “You can see the difference whenever you look at the street.”

The organization also holds volunteer mass clean ups in the fall and spring, Soat said.

“It’s kind of sad that college students are not responsible enough to pick up after themselves,” Riedemann said. “I’m just encouraging students to pick up after themselves, so we don’t have to continue to hire someone else to.”