The City of Trenton’s Civil Service Spotlight, which showcases the incredible work begin done in the city, selects dedicated Trentonians and tells a little bit about what they do for the community. The famous Larry Goodwin Jr. was recently selected by the City as a featured spotlight. Below is the interview conducted by the City of Trenton.
City of Trenton: Larry, how long have you worked for the City?
Larry Goodwin Jr.: 26 years. My cousin worked in sanitation and I worked seasonally. After working permanently, I kept with it. I started as a heavy laborer, been on the ground for 10 years throwing garbage, then applied to be an inspector, I’ve been an inspector for 16 going on 17 years. I worked part-time as a bartender, and still work side-jobs to keep the money flowing.
City of Trenton: What do you like most about working for the City?
Larry Goodwin Jr.: I have some power in my position to make the City a better place to live. I can gather information, find the problem, and solve that problem. I’m like the housing police making sure that everyone’s home is safe for their families. I can go places that I would never expect, and help people who I never thought I would be able to. It makes me feel good to know that my job means something.
City of Trenton: The toughest part of the job?
Larry Goodwin Jr.: Not being able to help everyone. No matter what you do, or how hard you work, there are going to be some people who you can’t help. Failure just is not in me. Whenever I meet a constituent, I want to be able to fix their problem. That’s my job. I always try to point people that I can’t help in the right direction. Most of the time we’re able to work with other offices either with the state or the county to solve their issue. When that doesn’t work, I always tell them to come back to me and we can try something else.
City of Trenton: What do you do when you get home?
Larry Goodwin Jr.: I like to work out, but I’m also a couch potato on the weekends. I like relaxing and finding that peace of mind so I can start my day all over again when I wake up. Everyone needs to get their rest.
