Mayor urges cleanup effort in New Castle

By Virginia Ross

Property maintenance is already required by city law.

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — Mayor Anthony Mastrangelo is handing out free garbage bags to residents willing to help get, and keep, the city clean.

Mastrangelo announced the city will provide 200 blue bags a month, July through October, at no cost for residents who are willing to help tidy up the city.

The effort is part of a recent request by the mayor for residents and merchants to maintain their own properties, keeping them free of debris, high grass and weeds. Property maintenance is already required by city law. Mastrangelo said his request serves as a reminder and calls for compliance to those ordinances.

The mayor is asking folks to take their efforts a step further by helping the city clean up other properties, including vacant lots.

Citing the city’s current financial woes, the mayor said the city could use all the help it can get from residents and merchants willing to volunteer some of their time and energy.

The mayor said he would like to see block parties organized to maintain street gutters in front of curbs and other properties and remove trash that has accumulated at vacant properties. He said residents could also help, if they are able, by mowing and trimming weeds at those sites.

Each city resident participating in the cleanup is being allotted two bags a month for effort. The bags are available at the mayor’s office at the city building and residents must sign for them.

More information is available by calling (724) 656-3500.