One Frankfort resident is taking action to improve the city’s appearance and hopes others will join in. Suzanne Spicer has begun a personal campaign to clean up trash and overgrowth in neighborhoods, saying small steps by residents could make a big difference.
“I was sick of driving around and seeing trash everywhere,” Spicer told KNS Radio. “I started at the Dollar General that went out of business because there was trash all over the sidewalk.”
Spicer said she spends two to three hours at a time cleaning, depending on her energy. She encourages residents to pick up even one piece of trash when they are out, adding that routine efforts like trimming weeds, brush, and trees would also help.
Some organizations have begun to support cleanup efforts, including Iron Block’s involvement with the Crossing, though Spicer said more community participation is needed. She has spoken with local leaders—including the mayor, police chief, and chamber officials—but says official assistance has been limited.
Among the more unpleasant finds during her work was a discarded diaper outside the old Frankfort Municipal Utilities office. Still, she remains focused on what she sees as a practical, positive step.
“People are upset about things like the proposed data center, which I can’t control,” Spicer said. “But cleaning up trash and weeds—that’s something I can control. And it’s something we can all do.”
The City of Frankfort holds an annual Spring Clean-Up, typically in late April or early May, where residents can drop off large household items such as couches, appliances, and televisions at the Street Department on Burlington Avenue. Spicer hopes her effort, which she shares online under the tag #OperationCleanupFrankfort, will encourage more residents to take everyday action in between those official clean-up days.