Video: Awards on 25th Clean Communities Day
By Kevin Coughlin
Kathleen O’Neill Margiotta is one of those rare government employees who can’t wait to become obsolete.
“I’m cleaning my way out of a job!” Morristown’s Clean Communities chairperson said on Saturday, after some 200 volunteers had finished collecting trash around town.
It was the 25th anniversary of the spring cleaning, and Margiotta said the town’s progress is indisputable.
In the cleanup’s first year, she said, volunteers gathered 11 tons of refuse in a single morning. That included an abandoned car and lots of tires.
Now the haul is closer to three tons — evidence that residents are doing more to keep Morristown’s public places litter-free year-round.
“The streets of Morristown are much cleaner than even five years ago. I credit the Mayor for bring supportive. And the public works department is wonderful,” said Margiotta, who devotes herself to public education.
“The whole concept is to have community members feel responsible for their community property. You’re paying taxes–let’s take ownership,” she said.
Morristown’s program is supported by $25,000 from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Clean Communities program, said Margiotta, a former town councilwoman who now is part of the public works department.
Much of her focus is on creating anti-litter awareness in schools and youth organizations. Abbie Dunn and Josephine Stefko, both 9, were among 60 Morristown Girl Scouts who cleaned up Burnham Park on Saturday.
The benefits of their contribution extend beyond cleaner parks and sidewalks, according to Mayor Tim Dougherty.
“It’s critically important that any town has volunteers,” he said. “It’s not just the work they do. It’s the bonding — people coming together for the same purpose, a clean community.”
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The Mayor presented a plaque to Marge and Wendell Brady for participating in the town cleanup for a quarter century.
Marge, a former councilwoman who serves on the Morristown Parking Authority, said a special flower has made its annual reappearance outside her home. She bought it to support a town beautification push that preceded the Clean Communities program.
“After 30 years, that red tulip is still there to remind us every year that we’re keeping Morristown beautiful,” she said.
Saturday’s volunteers were treated to a picnic on the town hall lawn. Young musicians from the Original Music School performed on the building steps, as volunteers in yellow Clean Communities t-shirts enjoyed a barbecue, and a layer cake from our friends at Carlo’s Bakery. (See their ad on our home page!)
Video: See how Carlo’s Bakery, a Morristown Green advertiser, affects customers
George & Martha’s American Grill made the cookout possible; members of the Kiwanis Club of Morristown handled the cooking.
In addition to Carlo’s, refreshments were supplied by Dunkin Donuts, the Morristown Deli and the Swiss Chalet. Financial support also was provided by the Kiwanis, ConnectOne Bank, Lakeland Bank, the Morristown Columbian Club, the Morristown Medical Center, the Morristown Rotary and the Morristown Partnership.
Margiotta also gave a “Good Neighbor Award” to Murphy’s Garage, for “exemplary property maintenance,” and for continued support of the annual cleanup day.
