Litter Piles Up In Morristown Park, Resident Complains To Council

MORRISTOWN, NJ — If you've noticed an increase in litter around Morristown recently, you're not alone.

At the Sept. 12 town council meeting, one person complained about the constant litter at Pocahontas Park, which the council addressed as an issue that had previously been brought to their attention.

According to Rose Soliman, the park is constantly full of beer bottles and glass thrown on the ground, which has become a nuisance to her as her house sits adjacent to the park.

"It's a pretty park, and I'm so glad that they are fixing it up and putting trees and everything, but before we spend money on that, I think we need garbage receptacles by the picnic tables," Soliman said.

Councilman Stefan Armington indicated that litter concerns at Pocahontas Park are not new to the community and that he and his wife have coordinated park cleanups throughout the years to try to analyze the situation.

"It's a disaster. It is a problem, and it needs a solution," Armington said.

Morristown Council President Sandi Mayer also noted the persistent problem, adding that the Shade Tree Commission had previously spent time deep cleaning the park before a municipal event, but it only took a few weeks for the park to be full of litter once again.

While Soliman had mentioned that the potential solution could be to add more trash cans around the park, Mayer noted that even with the garbage cans around the park, people still litter and break glass bottles because they "don't care."

"It's been an ongoing issue," Mayer said.

Councilman David Silva indicated that, while the Shade Tree Commission will hold another cleaning of the park in October, increasing park supervision is one of the remedies to the problem.

Mayor Tim Dougherty agreed with that statement, noting that he had previously shuttered the park but reopened it in order not to punish the community members who reside nearby.

"Education is always important, but it's simple. If there are people in the park after dark drinking or doing stuff like that, there has to be enforcement, and that's it on the bottom line. I'm now charging the police chief, so you don't have to come here and complain about garbage in the park," Dougherty said.