In a day when many letters about public servants and services are negative, I’m pleased to write a positive one.

Over the past two weeks I’ve torn out a old and decaying wood stockade privacy fence (about 80 feet long) and replaced it with a new one made of weatherproof materials. I did not expect that the wood from the old fence would be picked up by the weekly garbage men; not owning a pickup, I was not sure how I would get the debris to the landfill.

I called the city’s Department of Public Works for some help, thankfully getting a very helpful person within 30 seconds. On his advice, I simply cut the sections in thirds, tied them together with twine, and left them with 11 old eight-foot posts by the street with our regular garbage on the last two Tuesday mornings. All of them were removed neatly, with no remainder and simply a wave in return to my wave and smile from the top of my front stairs.

I know that many will say that our Elmhurst garbage collectors were simply doing their jobs. I say that they were going far beyond the call of duty, as I must say has almost every public servant I’ve interacted with in my 15 years in Rhode Island. Thanks!

VANCE MORGAN

Providence