Mayor Bill de Blasio appointed Middle Village native Edward Grayson to serve as the acting commissioner of the New York City Department of Sanitation on Friday, Sept. 18.
“Edward Grayson is the kind of experienced, steady hand New York’s Strongest needs to lead the department through this transitional period,” de Blasio said. “I’m grateful for his service, and I look forward to working with him to give New Yorkers the safe, livable communities they deserve.”
Grayson, who was born and raised in Middle Village, served as the director of DSNY’s Bureau of Cleaning and Collection prior to his appointment as the acting commissioner of the department. A longtime employee of the sanitation department, Grayson begin with the agency in 1999.
“When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a sanitation worker, because my dad was one,” Grayson said. “Every single member of this Department is someone’s family, but during these unprecedented times, we are each other’s family, too, and I promise to never forget that. I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for the confidence he has placed in me, and Commissioner Garcia for the example she has set of competent, forward looking leadership and commitment to sustainability – a commitment DSNY will not abandon.”
Grayson’s 21 years with the department follow a family history with the agency – his father was a life-long sanitation worker and his mother was a recycling outreach coordinator during the rollout of the city’s recycling program in the 1990s.
As acting commissioner, Grayson fills the void left by Kathryn Garcia, who stepped down from the post in early September. Garcia is largely expected to run for mayor of New York City in 2021.
