You’ve seen them many times. They drive around the Broward Municipal Services District (BMSD) in their white truck or van with the familiar Broward County logo on the side. They might be there to monitor the garbage haulers on their pickup routes, assist a neighbor with a bulk collection issue, or present you with a recycling reward. They work tirelessly and diligently to ensure that your neighborhood is kept clean and beautiful. Who are they? They are Broward County’s Neighborhood Aides.
The Neighborhood Aides are responsible for a wide range of duties. First and foremost, they ensure that the waste haulers comply with contract specifications and consistently deliver excellent service to the BMSD communities. They also provide customer support to residents, and educate them on the rules for proper placement of waste materials for collection. Your Neighborhood Aide can inform you about your scheduled collection days, let you know whether or not an item is acceptable for pickup, and give you a friendly reminder if you have not adhered to garbage, recycling, or bulk collection guidelines.
Additionally, Neighborhood Aides inspect neighborhoods prior to and after collection days to make sure residents have not placed their garbage carts, recycling carts, or bulk items at the curb on the wrong date. If the items are placed outside too early or too late, the Neighborhood Aide issues a courtesy notice of violation and provides instructions on how to correct the issue.
The Neighborhood Aides also spend a good chunk of their time interacting with the communities they serve. They make presentations at group meetings (homeowners’ associations, citizens’ watch, etc.), host community cleanups, and participate in outreach events. These are all opportunities for residents to meet the Neighborhood Aides, and learn about the services they are providing on behalf of the County. Feel free to ask them general questions, as well as questions that are specific to your household. Neighborhood Aides love to “talk trash”!
So the next time you see one of these helpful individuals driving around your neighborhood, be sure to give them a friendly wave to let them know you appreciate their efforts in helping keep your neighborhood clean and green!
