The Trenton Times published the following article on June 4, 2013. To read the full article, click here.

Public works deficiencies addressed at Trenton Council meeting

By Jenna Pizzi/The Times of Trenton 
on June 04, 2013 at 10:45 PM, updated June 04, 2013 at 10:52 PM

TRENTON — It was a stinky situation on city streets last week as city trash collectors were delayed in picking up garbage from outside residences as temperatures soared into the 90s, the public works director told city council members during a meeting last night.

“It has gotten kind of critical,” said Director Luis Mollinedo.

He warned that in the weeks to come residents could continue to see similar delays in trash collection because of staffing levels in the sanitation department.

Of the 49 sanitation workers, Mollinedo said 15 are hurt and can’t work on the trash trucks and, when combined with an increase in the number of employees calling out sick
and scheduled vacation days, it has meant that trash pick up has been a day late all of last week.

“We had crews out on Sunday picking up garbage,” he said. “We are so far behind.”

Mollinedo asked residents to leave the garbage bins on the curb to be collected the next day if trash is not collected on the day it is scheduled to be taken.

Mollinedo said the department has already begun the process of hiring 10 seasonal workers to fill the needs.

“It is a lengthy process,” he said.

He said they have begun background checks for the hundreds of applicants who expressed interest during a recent job fair hosted by the city.

Mollinedo also told council that there is not enough staff in the public works department to get to all the public properties that need mowing.

“We have 2,500 properties with 11 fields and 67 parks,” he said.

Council members said they have been receiving complaints that the grass at public properties is getting too high and fields could not be used to play games.

Councilman George Muschal and Mollinedo said they are looking for local groups to “adopt” public properties in their area to care for the properties and mow the grass.

The Trenton Downtown Association has adopted Mill Hill Park and has been using city equipment to care for the park, Mollinedo said.

Contact Jenna Pizzi at jpizzi@njtimes.com or (609) 989-5717.