CNBNEWS Editorial:WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO GLOUCESTER CITY?
Monday, August 01, 2022
William E. Cleary Sr. | CNBNewsnet
This past Sunday, (July 31) driving north on Broadway we stopped for the traffic light at Broadway and Market Street and noticed right away the pile of loosely thrown litter laying on the sidewalk up against the old Twin Bar building. The city owned trash receptacle was overflowing with debris.
We wondered to ourselves what type of person throws away their trash in this manner? And, why is Gloucester City attracting these inconsiderate people to our community?
A few yards north there was used furniture dumped (see arrow above) at the curb in front of a rental property in the 200 unit block of S. Broadway. Trash pickup for Broadway residents is Monday. The City’s ordinance states trash cannot be placed at the curb until after 5 PM the day before. And yet we have witnessed the owner of this property place their trash at the curb days before pickup for over a year. CNBNews has notified those in charge of this issue but nothing, apparently, has been done about it.
Recently there was much to do about mayor and council updating it trash ordinance which now requires commercial property owners to place their debris in a trash container. No one in charge could explain why commercial property owners were not required to use a container before the law was passed but residents were.
CNBNews photo Sunday, July 31, 2022-The owner of the business in the 700-unit block of Market Street continues to violate the City's trash laws. CNBNews has contacted the mayor and council along with the acting city administrator about these violations.
One of the biggest violators of the trash law, in our opinion, is the owner of the commercial property in the 700-unit block of Market Street. The owner places his trash at the curb days before pickup, not in a trash container but in plastic bags. Every animal around comes to those plastic bags to feast on the garbage inside the bags. As a result much of the trash ends up on nearby properties.CNBNews notified local officials a year ago about this issue too. But, just like the other individual mentioned the person continues to violate the law.
GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ AUGUST 29, 2021)With the trash piled by the owner of a food business in the 700-unit block of Market Street, it is apparent he has the blessing of the local government. Last year Police Chief/temporary City Administrator Morrell said no law requires businesses in this city to put their waste material and garbage in a trash receptacle. (CNBNews photo)
Some weeks ago we stopped taking pictures and writing about property owners who violate the city trash laws. We moved on because those individuals continued to snub their noses at the community, and nobody in power was doing anything about it. In other words, our complaints were falling on deaf ears. Today, when the traffic light changed we started to drive away but quickly turned around. We couldn’t let something this wretched go by without bringing it to the attention of the public, and mayor and council.
There are sections of our Broadway corridor along with a number of blocks on the west side of the city that resemble the run down neighborhoods that belong in the slums of a major city. That may sound harsh but it is the truth.
It is upsetting to see what has happened to our beloved Gloucester City. What hurts even more is that no one seems to give a damn. Gloucester City residents need to step up and get involved in their community or they are going to see what was once known as “Andy Griffiths' Mayberry RFD” disappear altogether. If this problem is allowed to continued residents will see in the near future that trash also depreciates the value of their property.
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