neighbors Aeonity Blog

new digs

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 10:11:37 -0600

moving the whole neighborhood concerns command and control center to a new hideout. point your browsers and rss readers to: New digs

Snow in Toledo Ohio hinders pedestrians

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 08:01:29 -0600

The Toledo Blade reported on this mess; http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070220/NEWS17/702200346 The article does a great job documenting the problem and the Police Department does a great job showing why the problem continues; "Police are in charge of ticketing residents and business owners who fail to clear their sidewalks. While police have the authority to write the $150 tickets, snowy sidewalks are not necessarily a priority, said police Deputy Chief Ron Spann, who is in charge of operations." Nope not a priority, sure, can we as citizens claim that also when and if we get ticketed? Subject: Nothing new about the snow piles From: neighborhoodconcerns Date: Tue, February 20, 2007 4:55 pm To: eblake@theblade.com Cc: william.franklin@toledo.oh.gov (more) Dear Ms. Blake; Thanks a million about the unplowed and not cleared walks. "Snow hinders pedestrians Sidewalk owners ignoring 24-hour clearing rule" And the city is also ignoring the problem by not enforcing the rules. Ah ah ah, Mr. Welch not so quick; "The city of Toledo is responsible for its own sidewalks. The Division of Streets, Bridges, and Harbor takes care of providing "safe school routes" and clearing sidewalks on bridges, said David Welch, the department's director." The city sidewalk, and that includes a bridge and I saw two people who had to walk in the street as the sidewalk on the bridge is not cleared, all the way from N. Detroit to Phillips is not cleared and that includes the bus stop that is buried and I have them all documented and reported to the neighborhoods department and they are here: http://www.aeonity.com/neighbor

City of Toledo Ordinance 719.08 Location and maintenance of benches; specifications.

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 07:02:54 -0600

Interestingly in the ordinance; "719.08. Location and maintenance of benches; specifications. (d) No bench shall be maintained in any alley nor at any location where the distance from the face of the curb to the property line is less than ten feet unless the Commissioner of Building Inspection and Code Enforcement in his written approval of the application finds that to maintain a bench at such location is in the public interest. Each such courtesy bench shall be installed parallel to the curb and set back approximately eighteen inches from the face of the curb except as may be otherwise permitted by the Commissioner of Building Inspection and Code Enforcement and each bench shall further conform with the requirements established by such Commissioner with all respect to safety. Benches shall be kept at all times in a neat, clean and usable condition and ice and snow shall be removed from the benches and the vicinity thereof in such manner that each bench shall be accessible at all times." "clean and usable condition and ice and snow shall be removed from the benches and the vicinity thereof in such manner that each bench shall be accessible at all times." Really.....hhhhmmmm who enforces this? Maybe professionals in the offices can get the bus stops cleaned up, maybe...I have written to the Neighborhoods Department and the Mayor has been cc'd. It’s just dandy to have Pride…

Even Lucas County offices fail to shovel or plow the sidewalks

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 06:52:27 -0600

The city of Toledo has failed to clear the sidewalks in a lot of locations, just drive up Berdan from N. Detroit to Phillips. The sidewalk on the right is covered in snow and not clear and the bus stop courtesy bench is blocked by snow in clear violation of the city's own ordinance about keeping bus stops cleared. And at the County Facility located at 764 Berdan Ave and neighboring Pexco Packaging the sidewalks are not cleared and the bus stop is snowed in. And we the citizens are to be fined if we do not clear our sidewalks, ya right....

Quite an impressive list of sidewalks not shoveled.

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 16:07:38 -0600

From: Neighborhood Concerns To: Call City Hall - Complaint Assignment Cc: Franklin, William , Welch, David , mayor.toledo@toledo.oh.gov Subject: A long list of sidewalks not cleared Date: Sun, 18 Feb 2007 16:59:24 -0500 At the corner of E. Delaware and Cherry the National City Bank sidewalks and the now closed Rite Aid building. The Arbors At Toledo on Cherry Street. The Family Dollar store at the corner of Cherry Street and Central. The BP station across the intersection and the sidewalk all the way to the CAPS station. The entire length of the sidewalk on Berdan from the corner of Berdan all the way up to W. Sylvania, much of it abutting city property. A city of Toledo Facititly building on Berdan near the railroad over pass directly opposite the multi story commercial building for sale on Berdan the sidewalk is not cleared. Sidewalk at the Rally's at the corner of Central and Cherry. Vacant lot the junction of Collingwood and Cherry sidewalk not clear. Vacant lot on Sylvania near Hobby Stop West which has an unshoveled sidewalk. Mr. Suds Car Wash Sylvania Ave. Kingsley Electric on E. Delaware Ave. Paisanons Pizza on Sylvania Vacant lot on Sylvania and the corner of Almeda Sidewalk in front of Patton Construction on Sylvania not clear Sidewalk in front of 5 Point Automotive Sidewalk before railroad crossing on Sylvania not cleared. Sidewalk in front of Albano One Step Club not cleared Sidewalk in front Defoe Village 2600 Sylvania not cleared as well in the same block the now vacant Friendly restaurant and all the way to the Mexican restaurant at the corner of Sylvania and Douglas. Sidewalk in from the Family Dollar Store plaza on Sylvania not cleared. Monroe Street one and off all the way the Westfield Village Shopping center the sidewalks are not cleared. The Red Robin Hamburger restaurant on Monroe Street. Sunoco station at the corner of Jackman and Laskey sidewalk not cleared. Taco Bell and the vacant 7-11 at the corner of Laskey and Secor Vacant lot next to Star Take Out on Cherry

Blocked sidewalks

Sat, 17 Feb 2007 08:40:46 -0600

Well, seeing that for the most part trash time is quiet except for a persistent landlord on Sylvania that cannot keep his or her tenants from piling trash bags against a house since September 2006 it is now time for the blocked and non-clear sidewalks. First up - Connecting Point 1212 Cherry St Toledo, OH 43608 The sidewalk in front of the facility is completely blocked to usage. E-mail sent: From: Neighborhood Concerns To: skrieger@connectingpoint.org Cc: Call City Hall - Complaint Assignment , mayor.toledo@toledo.oh.gov Subject: Your sidewalk is a safety hazard Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2007 09:33:16 -0500 To whom it may concern; Driving by this a.m. I could not help but notice that the sidewalk in front of your facility is piled high with snow and is impassable. This makes people walk in the street and not on the sidewalk The Mayor likes to micro manager as his staff and the professionals seem to need the near constant prodding to get things done.

Now this great news!

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 10:18:45 -0600

Toledo City Council passes legislation to:Allow city inspectors to issue $75 tickets for poorly maintained courtesy benches at bus stops. City sewer, water rates to increase for 4 years Boost to help fund $450M utility rehab

Commission sets sights on curbing city littering

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 14:19:44 -0600

Snow is good for keeping a person busy while taking a break from shoveling. "Council creates and funds group to aid neighborhoods in cleanups" A city to our east has the right idea, do you suppose the ideas will drift west..... Commission sets sights on curbing city littering

Take Pride in Meriden

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 13:35:54 -0600

Meriden Conneticut gets it and has taken positive steps in thier city; "It is no secret that litter looks bad. Discarded trash and litter are not only eye sores, but possibly health, safety and fire hazards as well. The cost of picking up and disposing of litter can cost cities thousands of dollars a year. Studies have shown that litter begets litter and enforces negative attitudes that littering is okay to do." Take Pride in Meriden

Why does the manager or director of a department need to be contacted

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 07:42:12 -0600

Reading some dialogue over on Swamp Bubbles Where to go for help I am left again thinking to myself does it take a manager to get these reported issues resolved? Has anyone heard of the concept of problem ownership? You own the problem till it is resolved and not merely pass it off or push it aside. If it is not resolved then it is not resolved and there is allows some resolution to a problem. Which goes to the next question for those in Government Center, why is that on those highways and byways that are traveled by city officials and city workers nobody notices the trash bags on the park bench on Lagrange Street?