Mayor de Blasio Appoints Edward Grayson NYC’s Sanitation Commissioner
By Yehudit Garmaise
Yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio filled the vacancy in the City of New York’s Department of Sanitation (DSNY) left by Kathryn Garcia by officially appointing Edward Grayson as DSNY’s new commissioner.
Grayson, who is a 21-year sanitation veteran, has served as acting commissioner, a role in which the mayor said he has “distinguished himself,” since September when Garcia resigned to launch her campaign for mayor.
Grayson grew up in Ridgewood, Queens, which he described as a neighborhood filled with civil servants, including his parents.
When he was growing up, Grayson’s father worked as a sanitation worker and supervisor, and his mother worked as a recycling coordinator.
Just two weeks ago, Mayor de Blasio tapped Grayson to head up the city’s snow removal operations when parts of New York City saw up to 10 inches of snow. In 2016, when the city experienced the largest snowstorm on record, Grayson served as the DSNY’s operations chief and oversaw the city’s snow removal.
“[Grayson] has brought energy, experience, and passion for the agency’s mission to his role,” the mayor said, “and he has fully earned New Yorkers’ trust to keep our city clean and safe.”
“I want to thank Mayor de Blasio and the men and women of this Department for the trust they have placed in me during these deeply challenging times,” Grayson said in statement. “Together, we’ll keep the city safe and clean.”
Credit: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office.