Commission backs letter asking City Council to let Cats on Wheels reclaim disposed bicycles from landfill

The Flagstaff Commission on Inclusion and Adaptive Living voted unanimously to send a letter to City Council asking that bicycles brought to the Cinder Lakes landfill for disposal be set aside so the nonprofit Cats on Wheels can collect, refurbish and distribute them.

John Buckley, a CATS board member who spoke to the commission, said the change would cost the city nothing and would divert usable bicycles from landfill disposal. "What we're here seeking is what we would like to get the city council to do is to change the current procedure by which bicycles that go to Cinder Lakes landfill are disposed of," Buckley said. He asked that the council allow disposed bikes to be held in a separate area so Cats on Wheels can pick them up on a recurring schedule for reuse.

Pam Jensen, who identified herself as executive director of Community Assistance Systems of Flagstaff and chair of Indigenous Circle of Flagstaff, said Cats on Wheels refurbishes both whole bikes and parts for distribution to people experiencing homelessness and other community clients. She confirmed the group would accept incomplete bikes and parts for repairs and outreach distribution.

Commissioners raised practical questions about the city's existing ordinance, which staff and participants said prevents removal of items after they pass the landfill weigh scale. Mayor Becky Daget and staff said the ordinance exists primarily to limit on-site scavenging and liability; landfill director Richard Hearn was described by speakers as supportive of setting aside bikes in a controlled area near the metal recycling zone so authorized groups could retrieve them.

Several commissioners suggested expanding the idea to include mobility aids such as walkers and canes; Cats on Wheels representatives said they currently lack space and volunteers to fully refurbish large mobility devices but will take small items when available. Commissioners also recommended presenting the request to the Bicycle Advisory Committee and the Sustainability Commission for broader support before or alongside the Council letter.

Commissioner Russ Randall moved to send the letter as submitted; a second was recorded and the motion passed by unanimous voice vote. The commission recorded the outcome as an approved action that will be forwarded to City Council for consideration.

The commission asked Cats on Wheels to stay in touch with staff as the item moves to Council. The group said it already fields donations, refurbishes bikes at a volunteer-run shop and distributes them to local shelters and service providers. The commission did not itself change the ordinance; it forwarded a supporting letter and recommended Council consider the operational details described by speakers.