On Thursday, August 29th, community leaders, city employees, and Trenton residents gathered on the steps of City Hall to celebrate and commemorate the 2024 Citywide Cleanup. All August long, ward by ward and block by block, the city’s Public Works employees have been hard at work removing unwanted waste and illegal dumping throughout the Capital City. This community effort was a labor of love, and would not have been possible without the devotion of a number of key players, including Trenton’s Mayor Gusciora, members of City Council, the Department of Public Works, and the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resources. And now, over 255 tons of waste later, the City of Trenton is feeling fresh, clean, and ready for a new chapter.
Per Mayor Gusciora, “We’re happy to report that 255 tons of debris has been picked up by the Department of Public Works. You cannot thank them enough. These are public workers who truly care about the city, who truly care about the neighborhoods, and we’re ecstatic that we’re about to go out and pick up that much tonnage of debris.” Continuing, he shared, “We will continue to clean up the city. We want to raise the consciousness of the city by being hear to help us clean it up. Pick up the garbage, make sure you put out the correct garbage, take electronic waste out when there’s electric waste days – help us keep the city clean. We’re all proud of what Public Works did this entire month, and we hope our citizens will join us going forward.”
Jenna Figeuroa-Kettenberg, Trenton’s South Ward Councilwoman, noted “I was very, very happy that the South Ward was able to kick off this initiative and that we produced 65 tons of trash.” Continuing, she shared, “I hope that the city maintains this and keeps it up again. I want to thank everyone for participating in this, and I look forward to doing it again next year.”
Per North Ward Councilwoman, Jennifer Williams, “Gentlemen [of the Public Works department], what you did for those four weeks in the rain and the heat and everything was just incredible.” She later shared, “It was a great team effort. I’m really happy about how it all came about, and now we look forward to it again next year.”
Teska Frisby, West Ward Councilwoman, shared some words of encouragement for the city’s devoted Public Works employees, sharing “Thank you for the work that you put in, not just this month, but what you do on a daily basis to make sure that our city is kept clean. You are appreciated. Thank you everyone.”
Mayor Gusciora closed out the morning’s remarks by sating “Thank you everyone, and again, we can’t thank our dedicated public servants enough for helping, making this month’s cleanup a success, and we hope to keep on and continuing to keep our city clean. Help us to help citizens.”
While the work of August’s Citywide Cleanup is officially completed, the efforts to keep our city clean requires the full-time attention and devotion of all Trenton residents. From disposing of our waste properly to cleaning up litter on our blocks or in our parks, there are small steps each of us can take to keep our city as clean and green as it is today. If you have any questions or would like to learn more regarding available waste disposal options in your city, please contact the City of Trenton’s Department of Public Works at 609-989-3151 or visit their website, linked here: Dept. of Public Works. Thank you to all who made this cleanup a month to remember, and here’s looking forward to a cleaner Trenton for all!
