OMG DPW FTW!

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

Yesterday I walked down to the Somerville DPW to get a White Goods trash sticker (hint: do not call it a White Trash sticker) and an Official Somerville Compost Bin. for our postage-stamp Ball Square garden.

Once I found my way through the comfusing little warren of corridors to the Customer Service office on the second floor, they were totally awesome! The woman behind the counter was shocked that I'd shown up without a car. I assured her that if the bin was too big for me to carry, I'd just go grab a Zipcar for an hour. She said, "Oh, no, you don't need to do that! Just come back up here and tell me, and I'll get someone to drive it over!"

The woman in the guard shack by the bins was also exceptionally friendly and good-humored.

I ended up balancing the bin on my head for most of the way back--it was indeed a bulky and awkward load, though by no means impossible for that quarter mile walk. But it's such a rarity to deal with bureaucrats who are really nice that I wanted to share the experience

Comments

[preraphaelite.livejournal.com]

You should tell their bosses!

[ceo]

You posted this just to use that subject line, didn't you.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

It would be totally in-character for me to to so, but, as it happens, the title didn't occur to me until after I'd written the post.

[dilllll.livejournal.com]

I called them in advance to find out if I'd need a car to pick one up, and they assured me I would. I brought a zipcar, and was pretty disappointed to discover how light they are. For the second one I bought, I attached it via string and bungies to my bike rack. It was a bit bulky, but the approximately 1mi ride to porter sq was fine.

[hissilliness.livejournal.com]

I wish I could have seen that. I ride this bike (http://redbones.com/images/rider.jpg) four nights a week, and I'd be daunted by getting the bin onto even that.

[upsidown.livejournal.com]

what is white goods trash?

[ron_newman]

Your answer here

Pick up of “White Goods” (refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers, cooking ovens, air conditioners and hot water heaters) requires disposal sticker, at a cost of $25

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

Word of advice to everyone, there are scrap metal guys that will pick up appliances for free. My guy usually comes within 1/2 hour of when I call him. Why anyone would pay Somerville $25 or Sears $10 I don't know.

[ron_newman]

Can you tell us (and future readers) how to find and contact these 'scrap metal guys' ?

[pjmorgan.livejournal.com]

Post your appliance in the free section of craigslist (indicate that it is not working-for scrap only).

Or PM me for my guy's contact info.

Thank you for this post

[tom-champion.livejournal.com]

. . . Although I don't think these kinds of positive interactions are as rare as all that. Nobody's perfect, and most people have their favorite story of poor service from or errors by city departments, but Somerville's libraries, Elections Department, Assessor's Office, Treasurer's Office, Legal Department, Constituent Service/311 and others all enjoy strong reputations both here in the community and beyond our borders for their courtesy and professionalism.

And if you've been reading the paper, you'll know that, for the second year in a row, many city employees have given up a week's pay to help make ends meet in another dire budget year.

So thank you for noticing when municipal employees are cheerful and helpful. In Somerville, it really is the norm.

Re: Thank you for this post

[grateful1311.livejournal.com]

Hi Tom! And thanks for reminding everyone that COS employees are friendly and helpful more often than not.

I hope all is well and that you are enjoying your new job!

Re: Thank you for this post

[rmd.livejournal.com]

I have had many interactions with city folks, particularly the DPW. They've been uniformly great to work with. One of the things I like about Somerville is that - as a city - it seems to have its act together more than other places I've lived.