Now I understand everyone's frustration with City Hall

[Stan Austin]

Ryan---- Your view that the housing code must be enforced or even more vigorously enforced is spot on in a number of ways. First, you state that your opinion of the need for strict enforcement was as a result of your campaign for council. You're not alone. I would suggest that every candidate for office in Lakewood over the past decades quickly realizes that maintaining our housing stock is always the number one concern of Lakewood's residents.

This desire to maintain the housing stock has been continually supported by many civic committees including most recently Lakewood Alive and the Grow Lakewood Committee. Both recognize that the economy of Lakewood rests on its housing stock. I can even remember back to the early 1960s when Mayor Frank Celeste realized this crucial fact and initiated Project Pride inspections.

Be advised that Council in the budget it just passed with the direction of the administration eliminated two housing inspector positions.

The administration has replaced a housing compliance prosecutor with a record of over a decade in obtaining code violation compliance along with our Municipal Court with an appointment of an individual with a yet to be explained set of qualifications for the job.

Stan Austin

[Jim O'Bryan]

When my car falls into the sink hole at the end of my driveway, I hope the city will be quick to issue me a parking ticket.

Collen

When their tree hit my house I was cited within 24 hours for no gutters. never mind that it was a city tree that hit the house. I am still waiting for the insurance adjuster from the city to come out and write the check. I was told to file it through my agent!


Ryan

I believe Stan is correct.


Please correct me if I am wrong...

The city has to operate in a balanced budget. We cannot go into the red, so the fact that this group made cuts needed, while tough, fit in their job description. In my companies we do not buy beer for doing your job, that happens when one goes above and beyond their job.

I am glad that the mayor and council finally made the cuts needed. I know Bill is happy as he mentioned no taxes, well except for the new garbage program ($168 more a year). Now I was not so bothered by taxes as I was by safe and clean. So I ask, "Santa Ed, what do you and your elves have in that bag for me?"

It is not hard to look at a personal budget and see I spend too much on gas. It is another thing to walk to work in Youngstown without the car I left in the driveway to accomplish the gas cut.

Now let's see how the city performs within the new budget.


.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Be advised that Council in the budget it just passed with the direction of the administration eliminated two housing inspector positions.

So if we brought them back, where else would you cut from to make up the difference?

I agree that housing inspection is important, but I'm not exactly sure, given the budget crisis, what other place isn't as important.

[Joe Ott]

realizes that maintaining our housing stock is always the number one concern of Lakewood's residents.

I would think if that was correct, lkwd would not look like what it does today.

[Justine Cooper]

What is the requirement to become a housing inspector?

What does it mean when we read in the LO that the city will buy foreclosed homes? How many, how will it be done, what will be done with them, and how will the city afford to buy them?

Ivor,
In all stories heard, I have never heard of a city requiring a family to pay for an exterminator because of a rat outside. Now that the cause of the hole was found to be eroding pipes, what happens next? Do they reimburse you? All rhetorical questions I think, because the truth is, no one from the city will respond with real answers. It does seem like the city picks on families that are paying all their bills and trying to do everything right. While neighbors' homes are going into foreclosure and ruining the values of the homes of those who do everything they can. Loved the rat though. It brought a needed laugh.