Lakewood: Trash

[jackie f taylor]

Sorry not Lakewood, my bad.

[Lori Allen _]

All of the early set-outs in Ward 4 must be put into one post, as there are so many. The garbage people are really trying to keep this stuff picked up, but it's just too much. Picking it up helps aesthetically, but Summers and the responsible councilpersons (Ward 4 and at-large) need to be more proactive in many aspects, but especially in regards to this issue. It's about:

1. Teaching people to be good neighbors and what the rules are.
2. Attracting good residents that follow laws and respect others and the community at-large.
3. Fining homeowners and landlords for violations. Once a fine or two is assessed to a landlord, his rent money will be cut into and he may start paying attention.

Finally, a portion (albeit a tiny one) is on the citizens. Citizens pay taxes and should not have to look at garbage for days upon days in the neighborhoods. If this is happening in your neighborhood, please make sure to note the offending address or apartment building and call the refuse department, as well as your respective councilpersons and the mayor's office. Don't be shy. Their salaries are mostly funded by citizens.

Refuse workers = Great
Summers & Council = N (needs improvement)

[jackie f taylor]

LAW: DO I UNDERSTAND THIS CORRECTLY, Building with 4 or more units are required to have their own private collection service to remove furniture, appliances, trash? Then why is the Gold Coast in Lakewood, Edgewater Drive in particular have trash set out at all? Sofas, couches, dressers, mattresses, including recyclables in blue bags strewn all along the drive?

[todd vainisi]

So if there are bedbugs or roaches in the mattress the city won't take it? What sort of a solution is that? Do they expect people to go rent a truck - and surely the the rental company wouldn't appreciate their equipment being used to transport infested trash!

[Lori Allen _]

9/21/16 Update

Stuff is still being put out early and late at too high of a frequency. While the garbage people are doing their jobs, it is time for Summers and the law department to start cracking down on landlords that do this stuff. Homeowners do it too, even those that have lived here for years.



While on the subject, I would like to bring to the attention of the Ward 4 councilperson two locations in ward 4 that have bedbug-infested items out on their tree lawns. The addresses are 1471-73 Hopkins and the Kenston Apartments at 11801 Lake (bed bug stuff is out on the Hird Ave. side of this address). Both of these addresses have had the bedbug-infested items out on the tree lawn for weeks, where pedestrians walk. In all fairness, I would like to give the ward 4 councilman a chance to correct these issues in a timely fashion before I start grabbing. It would be great if Mr. O'Malley and/or someone at city hall could contact the respective landlords and ask them to get the items out of public view. The garbage people cannot collect the stuff with bedbugs on it. It may also be worth having a building inspector go into every one of these houses or apartments where bedbug-infested items are found in the garbage. If bedbugs are found, City Hall should give the landlord 72 hours to get an exterminator to treat the building or face a heavy fine. When these fines start cutting into the rent money that these landlords get, they may start to pay attention.

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[Lori Allen _]

Another week, another round of too many early and late garbage set-outs:


Article II, Section VI of the Lakewood Municipal Charter states the following:

The Mayor shall be the chief conservator of the peace within the City; shall supervise the administration of the affairs of the City; shall see that all ordinances of the City are enforced

1777.02 Rules & Regulations

The Director of Public Safety or his or her designee shall adopt rules and regulations consistent with this chapter and any other ordinance of the City of Lakewood for the collection and placement of trash and debris in a manner that will promote efficiency and the protection of the quality of neighboring properties. Such rules and regulations shall be on file in the office of the Clerk of Council.

1701.02 – Enforcement
The Mayor or Director of Public Safety, and any officer or employee designated for that purpose by the Mayor or Director of Public Safety are hereby charged with the enforcement of this Sanitary Code.

Summers seems to have difficulty with even the most menial tasks assigned to him by the Lakewood City Charter, as evidenced by the numerous photographs posted here. After seeing how run-down Lakewood has become under Summers' leadership, I do not trust him with our city's healthcare and future.

[jackie f taylor]

I first brought this topic up in April, and with thousands of additional posts, 6 months later, nothing has changed. Who is running the government in Lakewood? Hillary? Trash, furniture, appliances continues to litter our neighborhoods and on days or times when it is not permitted. No citations, no summons, no fines, nothing. I can see why people just give up, throw in the towel, cause your complaint is ignored, FALLING on deaf ears, your wasting you breath. Why are some laws enforced and others are not? Why did I receive a citation for tail lights not working, cost over $250.00, fines and repairs to fix, and I had no idea, but if you litter our city, blatantly, time after time, nothing happens? Is this a problem that cannot be addressed? Like heroin, if you can't fight it, let it go, nature will take care of it? death is the answer?

[Lori Allen _]

It's the end of the month again, and we all know what that means! Garbage everywhere.

I really commend the garbage people, as they are trying to keep it picked up, but it is virtually impossible. If city workers can't keep up with all of the trash lying around, that means that you have a bigger underlying problem and that laws have gone unenforced for too long.



Please note that you do not have to look at garbage on your street. It is your right and you pay taxes to not have to look at roach and bedbug-infested mattresses, couches, and other trash for days and days before your pickup day. If this happens on your street, I encourage you to get the address of the offending house and call these city entities:

Lakewood Division of Reufse - 216-252-4322
Michael P. Summers' office - 216-529-6600 or e-mail mayor@lakewoodoh.net
Your ward or at-large councilperson, find their contact info here: http://www.onelakewood.com/findget/lake ... y-council/

Just a friendly reminder to city hall and others:

1777.01 REFUSE OR DEBRIS REMOVAL.
(a) The owner, occupant or person having the charge or management of any lot or parcel of land situated within the City, whether the same be improved or unimproved, vacant or occupied, shall not permit refuse or debris to be placed on the tree lawn for collection prior to 6:00 p.m. on the evening before regular refuse collection for that property.

1701.02 – Enforcement

The Mayor or Director of Public Safety, and any officer or employee designated for that purpose by the Mayor or Director of Public Safety are hereby charged with the enforcement of this Sanitary Code.

Since the mayor is ultimately in charge of enforcing this ordinance, it is imperative that you let him know about early trash-set outs on your street in addition to the refuse people.

[Lori Allen _]

Another day, another eight failures by Summers & Co. That is the amount of early garbage set-outs I encountered in Lakewood today. Eight in one day just on a few streets.

So far this year, I have documented over 800 failures by Summers & Co., and that is just in regards to early trash set-outs. If I counted long grass and graffiti not being removed, I'm sure I could count up to 1,000 or maybe even 2,000 failures. Who knows, if I counted every single crumbling, dump rental property in Lakewood, I could probably count close to 3,000 failures. In one year.

I believe the failures will continue to add up until Summers & his Co. are stopped. They appear to only care about their own special interests while letting the rest of the city that we all love go to hell in a handcar.

While it is great that Summers is apparently having the garbage people working overtime, that does not solve the issue. It is called being a mayor and ensuring that people know the laws and that they are enforced, as is provided for in the Lakewood Municipal Charter.

1701.02 – Enforcement

The Mayor or Director of Public Safety, and any officer or employee designated for that purpose by the Mayor or Director of Public Safety are hereby charged with the enforcement of this Sanitary Code.

Eight failures, just in regards to early trash set-outs, in one day.

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[jackie f taylor]

I'm driving thru Lakewood, I see unsightly trash set out early, everything you can think of, I don't have time or the convenience of pulling over, jotting down the address, taking pictures and making a phone call. The revenue generated by enforcing the law would surly pay for it self. The city should heir a driver to canvas the neighborhoods and document the violations, pictures, the whole pie. Cite the perpetrator and move on. problem solved, why isn't this practice being utilized?

Mail delivery persons travel the hoods daily, give them an incentive, compensation for exposing the violators. Hire someone at city hall in charge of that enforcement, and correct the problem..

[jackie f taylor]

Imagine, the mail delivery person who covers my neighborhood, sees a trash code violation, he takes note of the address, takes a photo and files a report at the end of his/her shift. The violation is documented and a fine imposed. $50.00 for the first offence. The mail person gets $20.00. If he submits 5 violations a week, he earns $100.00. The city makes $30.00 each, or in a week,$150.00 added to the budget. I'm just suggesting.

[Lori Allen _]

I agree that even a part-time person to do nothing but fine early trash set-outs would more than pay for itself.

It's just too simple. Too simple for Mayor/Public Safety Director Michael P. Summers and his administration, apparently. It's not just the rentals now that are offending. Even people that have lived here for years are offending now too. That signifies a problem.

If someone on your street puts garbage out early or leaves their cans out after garbage day, you don't have to look at it. Take a minute or two to get the address of the offender and contact these entities and let them know about the issue so the offender can be fined:

Lakewood Division of Refuse & Recycling: 216-252-4322
Mayor/Public Safety Director Michael P. Summers: 216-529-6600 or e-mail mayor@lakewoodoh.net
Your ward and/or at-large councilperson. See contact info here: http://www.onelakewood.com/findget/lake ... y-council/

[james fitzgibbons]

I agree that even a part-time person to do nothing but fine early trash set-outs would more than pay for itself.

It's just too simple. Too simple for Mayor/Public Safety Director Michael P. Summers and his administration, apparently. It's not just the rentals now that are offending. Even people that have lived here for years are offending now too. That signifies a problem.

If someone on your street puts garbage out early or leaves their cans out after garbage day, you don't have to look at it. Take a minute or two to get the address of the offender and contact these entities and let them know about the issue so the offender can be fined:

Lakewood Division of Refuse & Recycling: 216-252-4322
Mayor/Public Safety Director Michael P. Summers: 216-529-6600 or e-mail mayor@lakewoodoh.net
Your ward and/or at-large councilperson. See contact info here: http://www.onelakewood.com/findget/lake ... y-council/

Is that all there is?

[Dan Alaimo]

I think we've all had to do that one time or another. Installers or furniture deliveries don't usually come on garbage set-out day, and lots of people can only move the heavy old stuff once. What solution do you recommend for them?

[Robert Bobik]

Screw 'em. Especially if they're renters. Sorry, couldn't resist.