Letter to the Editor: Wilkes-Barre street cleaning overdue
I recently traveled from my home in the Rolling Mill Hill section of Wilkes-Barre to the downtown area to run an errand. Very impressive, very clean, not a scrap of garbage anywhere, no debris in the gutters, the storm drains unobstructed. I truly relished the short-lived experience. As I departed the downtown area, it didn’t take long for reality to come crashing back . . . to see the filth and rotting masses of leaves that fill our streets and clog our storm drains. Most neighborhoods have not seen a sweeper in years contrary to the 2009 city press release announcing, “Streets and alleys will be cleaned approximately four times from April through October . . . allowing DPW to clean small side streets and alleyways that were often missed by equipment in previous seasons.” It is now 2014 — the city website currently lists the 2012 street sweeping schedule!
If resources are the issue, perhaps Wilkes-Barre could apply for Gaming Fund grants — that would benefit all citizens in all neighborhoods — to purchase modern, efficient, adequate public works vehicles and equipment. If city council members would only ask, when approving Gaming Fund grant applications, How will these funds help my district and my constituents? our city might be a very different, vastly improved city.
We yearn for a better quality of life, for clean, healthy and safe neighborhoods to attract young people who want to purchase homes and raise their families, where retirees will remain to enjoy their retirement.
Mr. Mayor, we do hope 2014 will be the year the street cleaning schedule is posted on the city website to alert citizens to parking restrictions, so that our streets, alleys and lanes in all areas of the city are once again thoroughly cleaned!
Mary Pelletier, Wilkes-Barre
