Lakewood: Trash

[Meg Ostrowski]

Lori,

All those brown bags in your latest video don't bother me so much. It means folks are cutting their lawns, raking their leaves and keeping their properties tidy. Weather permitting, many try to do yard work the day before pick up but things don't always work out that way.

As for the single pieces of furniture, I suspect a couple of them may have been "picked" within hours of set out.

I don't drive around looking for trash but I do drive and walk around Lakewood quite a bit. I don't see what you see Lori. But I'm not saying it's not there.

If I had the time, I'd make a video of all the lovely flower beds and friendly faces I encounter. It might "attract, articulate and amplify" some much needed "community goodwill" here.

[Stan Austin]

Furniture for me on tree lawns is like my own Value City showroom

[Lori Allen _]

To each his own, I suppose. I have lived here for almost 30 years, and I do not like the direction of this city. In my opinion, it looks like a pigsty, and has never looked worse. Those of us that don't see it, I suppose they should consider themselves lucky.

In my experience, I am not the only person that is concerned about this issue. While campaigning for Mr. Skindell, I met several residents, in different parts of the city that commented to me "what's with all of this garbage, why can't they ticket these people?" or something similar. Even lifelong Lakewoodites have told me this city is "becoming a dump". When family that grew up in Lakewood comes to visit, they also comment on how run-down the place is.

In my humble opinion, the city has become extremely run-down under the leadership of Mr. Summers and this administration. I will continue to hold their feet to the fire. In other words, the beatings will continue until this city's cleanliness improves.

Eye of the Tiger, Mike! Eye of the Tiger!

[Patrick Wadden]

To each his own, I suppose. I have lived here for almost 30 years, and I do not like the direction of this city. In my opinion, it looks like a pigsty, and has never looked worse. Those of us that don't see it, I suppose they should consider themselves lucky.

In my experience, I am not the only person that is concerned about this issue. While campaigning for Mr. Skindell, I met several residents, in different parts of the city that commented to me "what's with all of this garbage, why can't they ticket these people?" or something similar. Even lifelong Lakewoodites have told me this city is "becoming a dump". When family that grew up in Lakewood comes to visit, they also comment on how run-down the place is.

In my humble opinion, the city has become extremely run-down under the leadership of Mr. Summers and this administration. I will continue to hold their feet to the fire. In other words, the beatings will continue until this city's cleanliness improves.

Eye of the Tiger, Mike! Eye of the Tiger!

I am not sure I'm going to get used to you not using "Lord Lakewood" when referring to the mayor.

I will say that as a result of this thread I now notice if people put their trash out early. Still don't care that they do. But I notice it.

[Lori Allen _]

As an example, I thought it may be worth while to show this.Again, when I said "more than one set-out on a street", that is exactly what I mean. This was Marlowe between Clifton and Detroit this past week.

1215-17 Marlowe.jpg (250.91 KiB) Viewed 3926 times

1296-98 Marlowe.jpg (220.89 KiB) Viewed 3926 times

There it is. Everyone (including Mr. Summers) can rest easy...for now.

[Matthew Lee]

People move in. People move out. I agree with Meg. Furniture on the tree lawn does not make Lakewood any less of a place to live.

[Lori Allen _]

Kirtland House.jpg (237.84 KiB) Viewed 3826 times

This was spotted outside the Kirtland House on Sunday, collection is Wednesday.

The general sediment here seems to be that it is okay to break the law and make neighbors look at garbage all week. That is also okay, as everyone is entitled to their opinion. I, myself, am tired of this, especially when the city did not look like this until the past several years.

I will re-iterate the fact that I am not the only one seeing this. I will mention again that while campaigning for Mr. Skindell, I met several residents that were tired of this on their street as well. When some of my family that grew up in Lakewood comes to visit, they mention it to me, asking about all of the garbage lying around and the general unkempt look of the city. If folks that grew up here and went to school here are noticing the "run-down", that is telling. It is also telling that I have over 700 photographs of early trash set-outs from the year 2016 alone, and that collection is only a small fraction of what I see on a daily basis. There is plenty more where those came from.

Again, if folks wish to ignore this issue, that is certainly their right. Nonetheless, that will not stop myself and other like-minded residents from continuing to hold the feet of Mr. Summers and his administration to the fire.

If anyone is confused, here is a copy of the ordinance:

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.

[Matthew Lee]

Definitely not confused about ordinance but don't see Lakewood in the same way you do. I have no issue with items being out earlier than the ordinance states. Sometimes life happens and new furniture is delivered on a different day than pickup. Or there is no rain one day so somebody mows their lawn early and puts the bag out before their pickup day. Or someone is elderly and gets assistance on the weekend to move a couch out that isn't their pickup day.

If you want to look for reasons that Lakewood is going downhill, go for it. You can take pictures every day of a tree lawn that shouldn't have anything on it because their pickup is scheduled for later. Or it is before 6 PM. I try to find the good in people and assume there is a reason that someone put a couch or a table or their lawn bags out a little early. And I also have no problem with Lakewood not fining them. In my opinion, there are bigger fish to fry than worrying about someone's grass clippings on the tree lawn several days early.

[Lori Allen _]

If you want to look for reasons that Lakewood is going downhill, go for it.

Thank you, I absolutely will do just that. The town that my kids and my nieces and nephews grew up in is now a dump, and has become such under Mr. Summers' watch. That is my opinion, and I will continue to express it, no matter how much it apparently gets under the mayor and some other people's skin.

Then again, Mr. Jay Foran, who seems to be one of Mr. Summers' best confidantes, seemed to acknowledge the trash problem here, in his own words, on the Deck, on September 12th, 2006.

Specifically, Mr. Foran said:

I also agree, but lest we not forget

Multiple For Sale or For Rent signs for the same property?!! I know the market is tough, but multiple signs look trashy and leave a negative impression.

Christmas lights.......still up

Trash on tree lawns...days upon days before pick-up.

See this thread: http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... ilit=trash

If one of Mr. Summers' seemingly best confidantes acknowledges the problem, it must exist. In fact, it must have actually existed before Mr. Summers took over. I stand corrected on that issue, but the problem has not gotten better, but worse.

I will continue to hold Mr. Summers and his administration's feet to the fire. Again, the beatings will continue until I see an improvement. Stay tuned, more trash dumps will come in the near future.

[Matthew Lee]

I do not begrudge you your opinion one bit. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Personally, I believe your opinion is incorrect. Lakewood is not a dump or a pig sty in my eyes. We love it here and do not see it the same way you do.

[Lori Allen _]

15303 Clifton.jpg (44.21 KiB) Viewed 3669 times

This was spotted on Andrews near Clifton this week. This apartment building is a repeat offender.

In any case, perhaps I should actually be easier on Mr. Summers. It would seem that our trash-collection vehicles are leaking hydraulic fluid like sieves. This is most likely due to there being less funds to purchase the correct hoses, fittings, and clamps for the hydraulic lines. In that case, I suppose I can understand the city looking the way it does. An average of two, and sometimes three trucks break down per day.

[Stan Austin]

My Chaize Lounge

all I need is an end table (tableux) for my beer

[Lori Allen _]

Mr. Summers: early trash set-outs in Lakewood are back. I'm sorry to say that you're skill in regards to enforcing city ordinances is still lacking.

If you are still confused as to your mayoral duties, please feel free to review “Charter of the City of Lakewood” - Article 2, Section 6 and Lakewood Codified Ordinance 1777.02 (a).

Actually, L.C.O. 1777.02 (a) states that you, Mr. Summers, in your capacity as Public Safety Director, create the refuse and recycling regulations. I kindly suggest you brush up on this as well.

On another note, I see a problem when I can drive into Cleveland and other suburbs and not see nearly the volume of early trash set-outs that I see in Lakewood.

For those of us that don't see this rampant problem, I urge you to look through the past eleven pages of early trash set-outs. That should clear up any confusion for you. If it's not on your street yet, it will be soon.

Also, I inspected most of these items. There was hardly anything worth taking. Anything that was worth taking was likely infested with bedbugs or other crawlers. If you still want to take this stuff, you must have more problems than the mayor.

[Gary Rice]

There's another way to look at all this, of course.

Every time old stuff goes to the curb, new stuff is coming in, and improvements are being made to a property.

People understand that appliances never fail conveniently, nor are deliveries always made conveniently on the day before trash pick-up.

As well, our Lakewood homes simply do not have the storage ability to keep old furniture in their homes until trash day after they accept delivery of the new stuff.

I'm not an attorney here, but any student of American governance is aware that the there's the LETTER of the law, and then, there's the SPIRIT of the law. In American jurisprudence, we do NOT have a Code Napoleon...Our laws are NOT codified but are based on PRECEDENT. That's why we let everyday American people, in the jury system, decide cases, and I seriously doubt that any jury in this, or any country, would convict anyone for getting some stuff out of the house a day early, if they must do so. I'm sure that the City obviously recognizes this too, and of course, for egregious situations, the law is indeed in place to protect us all.

When this sort of unexpected thing happens to any of us, it is always a good idea to give the City a call, so that they can make pick-up arrangements for you.

Back to the banjo.

[Lori Allen _]

Gary, you are sadly wrong. It makes the city look like a dump! It appears that Summers is so damn busy trying to cover his ass and push all these allegedly illegal deals through, that he, and council, have totally neglected the city.

Mr. Summers, nice to see that you are using the over priced fiber optic system, that the tax payers over payed for, and it's speed dial option.

Mr. Summers, the beatings will continue until you do your job! Stay tuned for updates.