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WILKES-BARRE — When George Brown campaigned for mayor last year he walked the streets and knocked on the doors of voters.
It worked, with him winning all 20 wards in Wilkes-Barre over incumbent Tony George in the Democratic primary.
Brown will be heading back to the neighborhoods, this time riding as a passenger with several department heads to see the problem areas firsthand and where the city needs to direct its resources.
Over the next week the mayor is scheduled to accompany Police Chief Joseph Coffay, Fire Chief Jay Delaney and Director of Operations Butch Frati on separate tours.
”I want to patrol the entire city,” Brown Monday said of his ride-along with the police chief.
The tour with the fire chief should take a couple hours as well. “I want to drive around the city with him,” Brown said.
The same applies with Frati, who oversees the city’s Department of Public Works responsible for garbage and recyclable collections, snow plowing, street cleaning and pothole patching, among other duties, Brown said.
And if that’s not enough, Brown wants to hear from city council too. He’s scheduled meetings with each of the five council members to learn about their districts.
The tours and sit-downs are aimed to familiarize the mayor with the places and problems that prompt residents to complain at city council meetings. He’ll be there to hear from them at the next meeting set for 6 p.m. Thursday in council’s fourth-floor chambers at City Hall.
Residents aren’t allowed to address council at its work session, but Brown can and will. He said he also will attend tonight’s session, which begins at 6 p.m.