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DPW Sanitation Workers Honored Recently by Simpson-Hamline UMC

Wednesday, April 13, 2016
18th annual event commemorates memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his sacrifice on behalf of trash collection workers.

(WASHINGTON, DC)  The Department of Public Works (DPW) joined Simpson-Hamline United Methodist Church to honor the city’s sanitation employees in memory of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while working with sanitation workers in Memphis 50 years ago. The April 6 event marked the 18th year Simpson-Hamline’s pastor, congregation and friends have joined together to host a luncheon honoring the DPW employees who collect trash and recycling, clean the streets and alleys and enforce sanitation regulations.

“Many do not know that the business of municipal services is invisible – when it’s done well,” said DPW Director Christopher J. Shorter.   “That makes it easy to take for granted that garbage will be picked up, litter cans will be emptied, waste will be conveniently disposed of and in this year’s case an historic 20+ inch snowfall could be safely moved so the city could return to work in record time.  Too often, little thought is given to the men and women who do the backbreaking work that keeps our city safe and clean.  To those who perform these important and sometimes dangerous functions on our behalf.  We salute you.”

“I want to applaud our trash and recycling crews for collecting two days of trash and recycling in one day, finishing just hours before the January blizzard started on Friday,” said DPW Director Christopher J. Shorter. “Earlier that week, we observed Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, so no collections were made that day. As a result, we ‘slide’ all collections to the next day throughout the week. But when we knew the blizzard would impede collections during the following week, our crews went into overdrive to ensure all our customers were served before the storm hit.”

Director Shorter then recognized the street and alley cleaning and sanitation enforcement employees who are the backbone of the District’s snow removal program saying, “I am proud that the city returned to work and our children to school as quickly and safely as possible. Our students may not have been so happy to return so quickly but I’m sure their parents and our businesses appreciated the effort,” said DPW Director Christopher J. Shorter.

Martha B. Mackall, who coordinates the event each year for Simpson-Hamline, greeted more than 200 of the city’s sanitation workers and expressed the congregation’s appreciation for their hard work. Many said. “We wait all year for this day.”

Simpson- Hamline church has hosted this event for the last 18 years during the week of Dr. King’s death to refocus attention on his legacy and the courage and dignity of sanitation workers then and now.   Director Shorter presented the church with a Certificate of Commendation for their appreciation and support for DPW’s sanitation employees saying, “I don’t get many opportunities to celebrate the municipal services provided by our employees, today I do.”

The Department of Public Works (DPW) provides essential city services in two distinct program areas: environmental services/solid waste management and parking enforcement. Both contribute to making our District streets and public spaces clean, safe, attractive and accessible for all residents, businesses, commuters and visitors.