MARGATE – What does it take to fill a room on a Saturday morning in February? Ask Franz Adler of the public works department, and he will tell you it takes civic pride.

Jack Flynn, 16, of Margate and Vittorio DiPentino, 17, of Longport, both juniors at St. Augustine Prep, distribute trash grabbers to the people participating in the Margate Civic Pride program Saturday morning at the Martin Bloom Pavilion. Flynn operates Flynn’s Bins, a trash valet service.

Nearly three dozen people from all ends of the city met Feb. 11 at the Martin Bloom Community Pavilion for the kick-off of the Margate Civic Pride program.

The program seeks to have residents keep an eye on the drainage inlets, or storm drains, near their homes. Should a drain get blocked with sand, silt or debris, residents are asked to clear it off or call the public works department, and someone will be sent over to clear it.

“When debris or trash is over the inlet or storm drain, it cannot do the job it was designed to do, and we have a problem,” Adler said. “Everyone sees what goes on above the street, but what is important is what is going on below the street with the water and the sewer system.”

Public works supervisor Frank Ricciotti said his crews cannot have eyes on every inlet in the city. Residents who see a problem and can clear debris from a blocked opening might save the street from possible flooding.

“We live on an island that is in a flood zone. Whatever we can do to reduce our chances of flooding is important, and by keeping the inlets free of debris we are really helping ourselves,” said Ricciotti.

“If people drop papers or food wrappers on the street, they are all going to wind up in the inlet if we don’t pick it up.”

Margate chief financial officer Lisa McLaughlin, a representative for the community rating system through FEMA, said that everything the city does in terms of education and mitigation of flooding issues contributes to Margate’s flood rating, and keeping storm drains open could push the city’s rating up and entitle residents to a larger discount.

Currently Margate residents get a 15 percent discount.

At the meeting, residents pointed out common problems that plague the city’s inlets: grass clippings from landscapers and the remains of what comes naturally when dogs go for a walk.

Leaving either is against city ordinance, but hard to enforce. Will the dog curbing ordinance get beefed up, or will landscapers lose their ability to work in Margate if caught blowing debris into the street? Residents who see such activity were advised to get a license number and contact Adler at public works.

On Saturday, each resident was offered a grabber to pick up debris around the drains along the curb. Organizers said they hope one neighbor will see another being responsible and join in the effort to keep the drains clear and help mitigate flooding.

City officials are also hoping that weekly recycling pickup during July and August will help cut back on the number of plastic bottles that accumulate. Residents can also drop off paper, glass, metal and plastic at the city convenience center at Benson Avenue for recycling.

No construction debris or carpeting will be accepted. To join Margate Civic Pride call Adler at (609) 822-5038.

Margate public works supervisor Frank Ricciotti shows resident Janet Snyder where the storm drains, or inlets, are near her home on a city map Saturday morning at the kick-off meeting of Margate Civic Pride.