LYNN — The city kicked off National Public Works Week by holding an appreciation cookout at the Department of Public Works and a celebration for the department’s workers at Lincoln-Thomson Elementary School on Tuesday.
“I urge all citizens of the City of Lynn to learn about the varied services and programs provided by the Department of Public Works and recognize the contributions which Public Works employees make every day for our health, safety, comfort, and quality of life,” Mayor Jared Nicholson said at the DPW cookout.
He thanked the DPW’s workers for their hard work and dedication on the job every day.
“I recognize sometimes public service will be thankless work and I just want to make it clear that from our perspective, you deserve our many thanks for all that you do to help our city run and to make it the best that it can be,” he added.
Students at Lincoln-Thomson Elementary School had the chance to learn about the importance of public works and see how an excavator and snow plow operate firsthand.
Student Jose De Leon said he didn’t know much about public works before. He said that he wants to drive the excavator one day, and had the opportunity to use one with his uncle before.
“My favorite part was learning about the signs, because I didn’t really know what the disability sign was,’’ Ash Tineo, another student, said. “I didn’t know that you can go to that handicapped parking if you have dementia.’’
Commissioner of Public Works Andrew Hall helped grill hot dogs and hamburgers for the cookout.
Hall said he appreciates all of the help the city gets from the department’s workers, and added that working in the field is challenging.
“It is thankless and endless, there’s a lot to be done, and we do the best we can with the resources we have,” Hall said.
Laura Lozzi, head clerk for the department’s Parks and Recreation division, enjoyed the cookout.
“It is very nice to feel appreciated,” she said.
Jason Hill, a gardener at Pine Grove Cemetery, also appreciated the cookout.
“It’s great for the city to give something back to its workers,” Hill said.
Josselyn Cuadra has been working for Roca, a nonprofit that provides job opportunities and education for at-risk youth, for less than a month and already loves her job cleaning the city’s streets. Workers at Roca were also invited to the cookout, and Cuadra said she was excited to attend and planned on getting both a hamburger and a hot dog.
Nicholas Gobiel, a Roca crew supervisor, said he loved the barbeque.
“The food is good and it is a beautiful day out,” he said.
Parker Hill, a mechanic at the DPW, said the cookout was a great way for the city to show appreciation to its workers.
“It’s great that they took the time to give back to us and show us appreciation,” he said. “It shows us that we are capable.”
The celebrations will continue on May 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sewell-Anderson Elementary School and on May 23 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Aborn Elementary School.
