There are more than a few moving parts to the Mass/Cass 2.0 plan put out this fall, but one part that is moving fast right now is the cleaning operations by the Public Works Dept. in the neighborhoods.
While the emphasis on services and recovery were a hallmark of the plan, one new focus was providing better quality-of-life services to residents and businesses in the affected neighborhoods – particularly the Worcester Square area and the Newmarket area. That part of the plan came in the form of greater police presence, but also in a cleaning team dedicated to the neighborhood.
That cleaning effort began last Wednesday, Dec. 4, Mayor Martin Walsh’s office reported.
As part of Mayor Walsh’s Mass/Cass 2.0 plan, the Public Works Department recently hired four full-time, dedicated Motor Equipment Operators to address street and sidewalk cleanliness on Melnea Cass Boulevard, Massachusetts Avenue, Newmarket Square, Andrew Square, Dudley Square, the South End, and surrounding Roxbury neighborhoods. The new cleaning team will work Wednesday – Sunday from 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. and will focus their efforts on neighborhood trouble spots, and participate in larger scale cleaning efforts too.
“We are fully committed to addressing concerns on Melnea Cass and Mass Avenue by increasing outreach to get more people the help they need, expanding opportunities for homeless individuals to be placed in the homes they deserve, and increasing police presence in our neighborhoods to keep everyone safe,” said Mayor Walsh. “This new team will work to ensure the streets and sidewalks in-and-around the area are properly cleaned and maintained, enhancing the quality of life for residents, visitors, and business owners in the area.”
•Additionally, the new 24-person Task Force will begin meeting on Friday, Dec. 20, at City Hall in a private meeting to get the ball rolling. The Task Force will work differently from the established South End Forum Opiate Working Group, which is an on-the-ground neighborhood effort. The Task Force will look at accountability and recommendations for implementing the many faces of the 2.0 plan.
Those on the Task Force from the South End include:
•Rev. Dr. Jay Williams, United Methodist Church
•State Rep. Jon Santiago
•David Stone, Blackstone/Franklin Neighborhood Association
•Steve Fox, South End Forum Moderator
•Mike Nelson, South End/Worcester Square resident