No garbage service so Mayor can have his New Jail?

[Shelley Hurd]

[Shelley Hurd]

[Shelley Hurd]

[Shelley Hurd]

And heres a link on city service cuts.. not put out by the Mayor and Council

http://www.crimeood.com/pdf/080802_union_flyer.pdf

[Jim O'Bryan]

Shelley

Enjoy the new year.

While you seem to have a certain amount of energy invested in this, please stop quoting sites that are out there with vicious vendettas against Lakewood, are really no better that what you accuse others of, "bringing down the city."

The site started by a family that had a member laid off from the city, and does nothing but bring out the most negatives aspects of a city and actually promote crime, and help foster it, and bring down property values, is not the way to go, if you really care about the city and anything positive.

Take a breath, enjoy the night.

peace


.

[Shelley Hurd]

Jim,

Sorry
Had no idea about that.
Like I said before.. I am very naive about Lakewood and her "politics", both in & out of City Hall.

Again, sorry
Have a Safe & fun night

[Jim O'Bryan]

Shelley

You are making valid points, as did the mayor.

One fact that is bore out by both of you. He can do what he wants, and we can vote him in again or vote him out.

The mayor came in and answered and even agreed with many points you made. He is also willing to stand by his decisions and take full responsibility. There is really not much more we can ask from a public official.

Have a great new year.

Stay positive.

peace


.

[Brad Babcock]

One aspect of this situation that I have not noticed much of in this discussion is the differentiation of Lakewood from surrounding areas. I don't think there is much arguement that most of Lakewood's services are far superior to those in adjacent Cleveland; Schools, Police, Fire, etc...

Better services and city character are why my wife and I live in Lakewood.
One thing that says "declining city" to me is to drive down streets and see piles of trash and litter. Back-yard trash pick-up helps keep trash off the curbs. We still have recyclables on the curb, and we still have the ocaisional big pile of rubish on the curb from people doing a major clean-out, or who just don't seem to realize that it detracts from the neighborhood.

The other side of that sword is the fact that it takes some cooperation from the city's citizens to keep trash off the curb. This includes keeping a clear path to the garbage cans on garbage day.
Backyard garbage service is not so much a labor-saving luxury as it is a means of keeping our city looking nicer and distinguishing it from other cities.

[Shelley Hurd]

One aspect of this situation that I have not noticed much of in this discussion is the differentiation of Lakewood from surrounding areas. I don't think there is much arguement that most of Lakewood's services are far superior to those in adjacent Cleveland; Schools, Police, Fire, etc...

Better services and city character are why my wife and I live in Lakewood.
One thing that says "declining city" to me is to drive down streets and see piles of trash and litter. Back-yard trash pick-up helps keep trash off the curbs. We still have recyclables on the curb, and we still have the ocaisional big pile of rubish on the curb from people doing a major clean-out, or who just don't seem to realize that it detracts from the neighborhood.

The other side of that sword is the fact that it takes some cooperation from the city's citizens to keep trash off the curb. This includes keeping a clear path to the garbage cans on garbage day.
Backyard garbage service is not so much a labor-saving luxury as it is a means of keeping our city looking nicer and distinguishing it from other cities.

Brad,

For more on this topic - go to the back yard pick up should this continue, thread-

Also of concern to me which has not been mentioned yet...

A dramatic increase in Garbage messes due to apartment priviatization.

Over flowing dumpsters, couches, garbage bags, nasty mattres's, animals digging in busted open bags...raw trash everywhere...

And calls to report issues seemingly have no impact.

A Call to the Police department one week ago today about trash infront of the aprtment across the street from Convient on Madisn.... Trash is still there today.

Call to the buidling department about a hugh nasty very visible mess in the driveway of the apartment building on the cornor of Phelps and Detroit...nasty mess still there

It is as if the city had no forethought in privatizing apartment pick up
No oversight in place
No enforcement
No information for the public as to where to complain
Seems so any way

So, leaves me ever more assurd, the automation will not be smooth, effective, cost effecient,....
Seems little if any thought was put into the ramifications of privatizing apartments and what to do about the mess it has created ......

[Bill Call]

While you seem to have a certain amount of energy invested in this, please stop quoting sites that are out there with vicious vendettas against Lakewood, are really no better that what you accuse others of, "bringing down the city."

The site (was) started by a family that had a member laid off from the city, and does nothing but bring out the most negatives aspects of a city and actually promote crime, and help foster it, and bring down property values, is not the way to go, if you really care about the city and anything positive.

When the Lakewood firefighters distributed their pamphlet attacking the Mayor and Council they chose to distribute the flyer throughout the entire Westside of Cuyahoga County. They had the option to target just Lakewood but chose to pay the extra money to target the whole area. That told me that their goal was less about informing the public and more about continuing their economic war against the City.

I thought for quite some time that some City employees and their surrogates were waging a propaganda campaign against the City. Much of the criticism against the Mayor and Council is based on the desire of a small group to maintain their sinecures and has nothing to do with concern for public safety or public services.

The City had a $4 million budget deficit that had to be addressed. The City had more employees than peer cities and was paying them more. For decades the City kept adding more employees and adding more benefits and higher salaries. Something had to give.

The people of Lakewood have been very generous in offering unequalled pay and benefits to its employees. The citizens of Lakewood have taxed themselves to the highest levels in the country to maintain those pay and benefits.

I am disapointed, but not surprised, that a small clique of city employees has chosen to wage war on its benfactors rather than work with the administration to make Lakewood a better place to live.

Ask yourself: Is it really such a burden to carry a garbage can to the curb? What is the hidden agenda?

[Shelley Hurd]

The mess on the cornor of Phelps and Detroit has been "cleaned up"
They threw it behind the dumpster and beside the dumpster. So the visual mess is minimal at the moment

[Shelley Hurd]

The site (was) started by a family that had a member laid off from the city, and does nothing but bring out the most negatives aspects of a city and actually promote crime, and help foster it, and bring down property values, is not the way to go, if you really care about the city and anything positive.

Was shocked to learn about that too.

And feel compeled to offer up a very public apology to both Mayor Fitzgerald and All memebers of City Council for my lack of temperance and disgression in expressing my differing view points from them.

[Gary Rice]

I think it may be disingenuous and counterproductive to assume that anyone posting on this 'deck and coming from WHATEVER point of view, might represent some hidden agenda by some cloak-and-dagger, behind-the-scenes group.

Attacking a person's credibility is both a political, and a legal technique, but I really think that here on the 'Deck, the assumption needs to be that each poster is representing his or her own personal well-considered judgement.

Actually, even if a poster does represent the views of an agenda, that's their business, is it not?

As for labor relations? There is one place and one place alone that those types of disputes are settled, and that's by the collective bargaining process. If that procedure is circumvented, either side is free to file an unfair labor practice lawsuit.

As for carrying/pushing/pulling that can to the curb? Yes, that's too much to ask many who are not able to do it, and in fairness, the Mayor recognizes that, and has addressed the issue, by allowing variances for those less able to do that job.

Having recognized the Mayor's willingness to be reasonable, the point remains that many who are not willing to ask for help will probably move those things who should not be doing so. Remember, this is ALL your trash in ONE can now, so it could end up being one heavy dumpster.

And then, there's the perception...

I drove up Clifton on garbage day recently. Apparently across w117th, this type of garbage scenario is already in play, and to me, it was just about the ugliest sight I've ever seen.

Gee, now we are trying to be just like Cleveland.

At least that should not be too hard to achieve, I would suspect.

All, just my opinion.

[Stephen Eisel]

this thread needs a Kumbaya moment (clicky) cyber hugs

[Shelley Hurd]

this thread needs a Kumbaya moment (clicky) cyber hugs

../hugs Steve

And again my sincere apology to the Mayor and City Council