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neighbor The purpose of this Blog - Subscribe
Living in Toledo, Ohio for the last six years and the city like some other cities in the Mid West has seen better times but there are efforts to turn the city around.

This blog will not foucs on the politics involved, it was created to address neighborhood concerns in the neighborhood where me and my family live, the greater Old Polish neighborhood. As we value our privacy no futher details about us will be given. Suffice it to say that we do not like the condition of our neighboorhood and after repeatedly contacting members of City Hall and City Council members we have decided to move forward and make our concerns more public to generate a bit more interest from the city and the departments involved to help us, all, make the neighboorhood in which we live a better and cleaner place.

Have issues that you brought to the city's attention and the concerns still exist? Post them, with details to the problems and maybe together we can effect change.

Be precise and on point.
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Mood: cautious

neighbor Problems in the Neighborhood reported in June 2006 Aug 14th, 2006 12:34:40 pm - Subscribe
The following images are from Sunday August 13, 2006

The litter around the Tarta bus stop is on Cherry Street, first reported to the cities Solid Waste Department, Neighborhoods Department in June 2006.

People using the bus stop are litering the area with food bags, drink cups, etc. while waiting for buses. I requested that the city place a trash can at the bus stop in June 2006. To date nothing has been done except that signs have been posted at various locations when entering the city that Toledo is city with pride.

There are three images of the liter on Cherry Street shown.

The second problem site is on Frederick Street. Two homes have been torn down. A fire in one completely destroyed the building. Which was torn down and lot graded over with fill and left unseeded. It became over grown with weeds. The home that was next door was badly damaged in the fire and since has been torn down and the lot was filled and graded and not seeded and it is now over grown with weeds.

The lots were reported to the city, Neighborhoods Department and Mayor's Office. The city council member for the area was contacted in August and his office forwarded the problem onto a city agency.
Images of the liter and weeded lots
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Mood: defiant

neighbor Contacted by city agencies Aug 14th, 2006 7:24:02 pm - Subscribe
Contacted by Neighborhoods Department Manager who asked me for the address of the site on Fredericks after I requested an update. Cue to merry-go-round music.

I forwarded the addresses to the department in June 2006 and was informed that an inspector would go out and inspect.

Nothing since. Lots still weeded and a mess and once again I sent information about the lots. This time I spelled out where the lots are and how to get to them and included a url to a photo hosting site showing the lots in all their weeded glory.

The Department Director told me last week in an e-mail he would take care of it and today the manager wants the address again. The merry-g-round music grows louder, while the weeds grow higher.
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Mood: impatient

neighbor Lots finally mowed Aug 16th, 2006 11:19:20 pm - Subscribe
E-mail from the Neighborhoods Department states that fines have been given and the lots are to be mowed and cleaned.

The lots had piles of yard waste and other debris that was being piled there.

Checked the lots and low and behold after over two months of complaints the lots are cleaned up.

I thanked the Neighborhoods Department head and asked why is that when a complaint is filed there is no feedback. E-mail is sent and a citizen, could expect, a response as this is the 21st. century.

But the manager of the Neighborhoods Department has stated that the complaints have to be filed via the telephone which I simply do not understand, when e-mail is a stated and accepted method of contacting the city.

Her claim that complaints would not get logged was brought her supervisors attention and the matter has been resolved.

But why is the communication so one sided. Messages go in and very little feedback is given.

We as citizens should get some feedback, shouldn't we?
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Mood: Happy

neighbor Things change Aug 17th, 2006 5:30:07 pm - Subscribe
I first started this blog to point out problems in the neighborhood where I live and as a tool for public exposure to get some results. Having done part of that, the trash on Cherry Street, still has not been fully addressed by the city but soon it will, I hope.

There is a real problem in Toledo with trash.



Why can't the city or Tarta do something?

If one drives around and looks early in the week, say a Monday, which is after trash has been picked up by the city, one will notice in many areas there are alleys and sidewalks that already have trash set out and it is Monday.

Wasn't trash just picked up? Why wasn't the trash set out when it was suppose too? Why does this continue to happen, week after week after week?

Simple, it really is; not enough enforcement. Not enough education. Not enough follow through by the city departments even though citizens, like me, report the problems week after week after week.

So, included on these electron based pages, will comments, e-mails back and forth, about the trash situation.

Stay tuned..................
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Mood: moving forward