MONROE, CT — First Selectman Terry Rooney drove through town last week and noticed trash on the sides of several roads, so he stopped by Public Works Director Chris Nowacki and Deputy Director Bill Phillips’ offices at Monroe Town Hall.
“I said, ‘I know you do cleanups in the spring, but we need to have some pride. The town’s looking like a mess,'” Rooney recalled.
On Monday, public works drivers picked up 10 truckloads of roadside trash from town roads, including Wheeler Road, Pastors Walk, Guinea Road, East Maiden Lane, Jockey Hollow and Turkey Roost roads.
Josh Krize, a crew leader, said full paintings were found over guardrails.
Chris Caulfield, a fellow crew leader, said he picked up 60 bottles of Tito’s vodka, bottles of Corona, Coors Light and shooters.
“It was in the same section of Wheeler Road,” Caulfield said of a 300 foot stretch off Route 111. “Someone who works and goes through there or lives on the street must be doing it.”
Another highway employee found garbage neatly tucked into a guardrail at the end of a resident’s driveway on Jockey Hollow Road.
After Monday’s haul, Krize still expected the DPW to do more clean up work on Tuesday. He encourages residents to be more vigilant about littering in their neighborhoods.
“Pay attention to what’s going on around your neighborhood,” he said. “If you see something, say something.”
“Homeowners have to have pride in their own property,” Rooney added.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
Great proactive approach. Not surprised!
Appreciate FS Rooney is on top of this. I bring a bag with me to the mailbox every day and fill it up nearly every time with miscellaneous items tossed out of car window just at the end of my driveway. Top it off with what the delivery drivers toss along my driveway. A whole town clean-up initiative day in the spring would be appreciated. Sign me up!
It’s nice to see fast turnaround after my Facebook post on 1/31/24. I posted pictures of 4-1/3 buckets of trash in front of my property and on the curve of Cottage Street. Can the DPW please pick up trash along Route 34, too?
This happens every day along Monroe Tpke (Route 111). Residents who live there pick up trash, bottles, etc. daily. Town workers should be doing this. There are no signs posting fines for littering.
Thank you to new Selectmen, Mr. Rooney!
With the weather we been having this winter the street sweeper should be out as well.
That would help with drainage and keeping storm drains clean.
Good Job done to the Public Works Department! I go out and pickup trash in front and on the side of my house once a week and get a 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket in a normal week. Cigarette butts, Dunkin donut cups and bags and napkins from Mcdonalds , nip bottles, candy wrappers and trash trash from other places. It has gotten worse over the past few years. The people do not have respect for anybody else and can’t be bothered taking their trash home or put it into a trash barrel that are in most service stations and in front of the stores in town. Come on Monroe, you are better than this; have some self respect!