Pottstown to set up adopt-a-street program to tackle litter problem

POTTSTOWN — In response to a constant barrage of complaints about the constant stream of trash in the streets of the borough, council has taken action and is establishing an “adopt your street” program it was announced last week.

The effort is being spearheaded by Councilwoman Trenita Lindsay and Assistant Borough Manager Zachary Nelson.

Lindsay, who drives a bus for SEPTA during the day, brought the idea to the administration after seeing signs indicating adopted streets along her various routes in other municipalities.

The envisioned program is a little more than just wishful thinking. Borough Manager Justin Keller said it is based on a “very successful program in Reading” and asks those who volunteer to sign a two-year contract to keep an area clear from as little as 1,500 feet to two or three blocks.

Those volunteers would also be tasked with helping to clear sidewalks of snow.

Then twice a year, a larger coordinated clean-up would be arrangement with the borough providing vests, pickers, rakes and special colored bags and having Mascaro trucks, or borough staff, pick up those full bags as well, Keller said.

He said signs indicating who is keeping the street clean will be erected and the volunteer groups will be encouraged to adopt one or two of the trash cans being distributed by Hobart’s Run, the neighborhood revitalization program run by The Hill School.

For months, King Street resident Kyle Weaver, occasionally joined by others, has been attending council meetings, urging action be taken to help pick up the trash on the streets.

In July, he told council that after walking 5.5 miles up and down the “core streets” of Pottstown (High, Chestnut, Walnut and Beech streets) from Manatawny Street to The Hill School, Weaver discovered there are almost no public trash cans on Pottstown’s most populated streets.

“The numbers are kind of uncomfortable to look at,” he told the council.

Of the nearly 75 publicly available cans he counted, 40 of them are on High Street.

“Beech Street has three Hobart’s Run trash cans for the entire street. On Walnut Street, we have two Hobart’s Run trash cans and one park trash can. On Chestnut, we have four Hobart’s Run trash cans. On King Street, we have two Hobart’s Run trash cans and one other. On High Street, we have 32 Big Belly’s (municipal trash cans), two Hobart’s Run trash cans, and eight other municipal trash cans,” Weaver said.

“The citizens of the most walkable neighborhood in town have literally no place to put the trash unless they open up a person’s trash can lid, or hold onto it for maybe a mile more,” he said.

Those interested in learning more about the program should contact Nelson’s office by email at administration@pottstown.org or by phone at at 610-970-6515.