News From Councilman Tom Waniewski - April 2008
April 5, 2008
I'm devoting a good portion of this newsletter to the discussion of refuse. It has received much press over the last month, and I have received much communication on this matter. As always, I thank you for your correspondence (yes, all of it!).
I voted for the 0/10 refuse fee primarily because it had a "$0" option. Nearly 80 percent of the residents in my (our) district recycle. It is the highest in the city. It was the right thing to do for the majority of the residents. Additionally, it provided the opportunity to pay nothing. I will always support lower fees/taxes and streamlined services.
I also voted for this fee because I looked and looked at the city budget and could not find $4.8 million to cut without doing significant damage to other programs. The option I voted for is a "phase out" option that will give the city the opportunity to reduce or eliminate unnecessary programs.
The city is also planning to test automated trash pick-up starting May 1st in selected areas. There are three areas of District 5 that will be affected. The map that is included in this newsletter, obviously, is too small. I've uploaded a larger map that is accessible through my blog. Please go to the blog and click on the map for a larger version.
Like the trash fee, automated service has confused many. In a nutshell here's what's involved in automated trash pick-up:
1) One person will be on the route instead of three now.
2) Each resident will be given one large 96-gallon container.
3) The container will have a handle and wheels, so hopefully this will not be a burden to seniors.
4) The routes could be tested for a year before anything permanent is put in place.
5) As long as your refuse, yard clippings, etc. fit into the 96 gallon container, it will be picked up.
Again, I urge you to go to my blog for a large map to see if you are on the test route.
If you've driven by the old Goodwill store at Monroe and Secor, you've seen the disgusting piles of clothes and furniture. I've contacted Goodwill and they say the owners of the building told them they don't want dumpsters on the property, and they don't want Goodwill back on the property. I contacted the people responsible for the property but no return calls yet. And I've notified the city's nuisance department.
I will always use the nuisance route as a last result since I believe the property owners should get a first crack at cleaning up their mess. As of this writing, the piles (soaked by rain) remain. If you have things to drop off, the new Goodwill store has a fantastic distribution center in the DeVeaux Village Shopping Center.
I attended Dr. Lloyd Jacobs' university address where he talked about making the University of Toledo a "student-centered" institution of higher learning. His template for accomplishing this is one that could be replicated in government and titled, "taxpayer-centered". I encourage you to read about his plans.
Did you know UT's police department does neighborhood patrols just north of Bancroft in parts of Old Orchard? It's the 618 Unit run by Police Chief Jeff Newton. I recently had a conversation with Chief Newton to explore options for increasing the patrols. I'll keep you posted on those ongoing discussions.
I would appreciate it if you would forward this email newsletter on to your neighbors for them to subscribe to. Our list has grown, however it is my goal to get everyone in the district with Internet access connected to the newsletter. So far, it's been a great way to convey pertinent information AND get feedback from you.
When you pass this on to your neighbors, I hope you'll tell them that I don't badger them with too many of these, and I will never, ever sell emails to anyone. Thank you for anything you can do to spread the word to your neighbors.
Davis College, another one of the many, fantastic businesses in District 5, was chosen by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce as one of the ten Best Employers in Ohio in 2008. Davis College is the only Toledo business with under 250 employees to make the list. Congratulations, Davis College, and best wishes as you celebrate 150 years in our community.
The city is distributing recycling packets at Kroger's and The Andersons. I'll be at The Anderson's General Store on Talmadge on Saturday, April 12th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. handing out packets and answering residents' questions. Stop by if you have any questions or need a packet.
City council is debating what pools to open for the summer. Currently, the administration is proposing that four pools open at a cost of about $300,000. A proposal has been presented which would open a total of seven spread out through the city at a cost of more than $400,000. There are no city pools in District 5. I'd love to hear your comments on this issue. You can email me with your opinions.
created by jr on Aug 10, 2008 at 09:05:05 pm
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