OTTUMWA, Iowa (KYOU) - Ottumwa city leaders said items that you might not expect to see are showing up in public parks.

“Household items like old televisions and food packages, vacuum cleaners, sofas, somebody dumped a sofa at memorial park last week it’s still there next to the dumpster,” said Park Director Gene Rathje.

Rathje said despite signs prohibiting personal use and monthly reminders sent to residents of proper trash disposal, the city is seeing an increasing amount of illegal dumping. Leaving no space for park cleanup crews to dump trash.

“What’s been going on is within two days after the dumpsters are emptied, they’re full again with people bringing trash from home and their businesses and we have no place to dump our trash.”

The city said when dumpsters are full, trash ofte

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