(Aug. 3, 2017) Sprucing up Pocomoke to rid the town of trash and debris is the aim of a new effort initiated by Mayor Bruce Morrison earlier this month.
“It doesn’t look very good and the town is really getting in bad shape,” he said. “Even the residents of Pocomoke have come to me and they want me to do something. They’re saying. ‘Bruce it’s time we get this town cleaned up.’”
Morrison said a small committee was formed after strategizing with city department heads. They have been tasked with improving the town’s unkempt appearance and instilling a renewed sense of pride in Pocomoke.
“Let’s get this town cleaned up and do whatever option we can,” he said. “Let’s start with the downtown and work our way through it.”
Last week the new campaign got underway, Morrison said.
“We power washed all the sidewalks downtown and we pulled weeds,” he said.
The State Highway Administration further bolstered the effort this week, Morrison said.
“They sprayed all of Market Street for weeds, so the state’s been vey helpful to me,” he said. “They’ve come in there and they restriped everything. There are parking spots lined up all the way down Market Street.”
Although the aesthetic improvements are just starting to take place, Morrison is already encouraged by the results.
“Downtown is starting to come together really fast,” he said. “I’m very happy right now with the progress we made in the first two weeks.”
Another area Morrison hopes to improve involves bulk trash pickup, which the city offers for free the second Wednesday of each month.
“Some people have been putting it out two weeks in advance and it looks like crap,” he said. “We don’t want the stuff sitting around for two weeks on the street.”
The issue prompted the council to amend the city charter to specify bulk trash should not be placed curbside more than 24 hours in advance.
“What happens to us is we have a lot of evictions,” he said. “The landlord will come and take all the furniture and put it on … the street and it’s there for two weeks. That really looks bad.”
In some instances, Morrison said the public works department will preempt the regularly scheduled bulk trash service, but at a price.
“We’ll go around there and clean it up and then we’ll send a bill,” he said. “We’ll turn around and charge the homeowner for picking this stuff up early and getting it out of there.”
For the time being, Morrison said his number-one priority is revitalizing the city’s appearance and instilling a newfound pride among residents and property owners.
“We’re trying to make the city a better-looking place … what it used to look like 20 years ago,” he said. “When people come into it they can say, ‘wow Pocomoke City is a beautiful place.’”
“It doesn’t look very good and the town is really getting in bad shape,” he said. “Even the residents of Pocomoke have come to me and they want me to do something. They’re saying. ‘Bruce it’s time we get this town cleaned up.’”
Morrison said a small committee was formed after strategizing with city department heads. They have been tasked with improving the town’s unkempt appearance and instilling a renewed sense of pride in Pocomoke.
“Let’s get this town cleaned up and do whatever option we can,” he said. “Let’s start with the downtown and work our way through it.”
Last week the new campaign got underway, Morrison said.
“We power washed all the sidewalks downtown and we pulled weeds,” he said.
The State Highway Administration further bolstered the effort this week, Morrison said.
“They sprayed all of Market Street for weeds, so the state’s been vey helpful to me,” he said. “They’ve come in there and they restriped everything. There are parking spots lined up all the way down Market Street.”
Although the aesthetic improvements are just starting to take place, Morrison is already encouraged by the results.
“Downtown is starting to come together really fast,” he said. “I’m very happy right now with the progress we made in the first two weeks.”
Another area Morrison hopes to improve involves bulk trash pickup, which the city offers for free the second Wednesday of each month.
“Some people have been putting it out two weeks in advance and it looks like crap,” he said. “We don’t want the stuff sitting around for two weeks on the street.”
The issue prompted the council to amend the city charter to specify bulk trash should not be placed curbside more than 24 hours in advance.
“What happens to us is we have a lot of evictions,” he said. “The landlord will come and take all the furniture and put it on … the street and it’s there for two weeks. That really looks bad.”
In some instances, Morrison said the public works department will preempt the regularly scheduled bulk trash service, but at a price.
“We’ll go around there and clean it up and then we’ll send a bill,” he said. “We’ll turn around and charge the homeowner for picking this stuff up early and getting it out of there.”
For the time being, Morrison said his number-one priority is revitalizing the city’s appearance and instilling a newfound pride among residents and property owners.
“We’re trying to make the city a better-looking place … what it used to look like 20 years ago,” he said. “When people come into it they can say, ‘wow Pocomoke City is a beautiful place.’”