The jumping off discussion area for the rest of the Deck. All things Lakewood.
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If you drove down Clifton or Lake today you saw piles and piles of leaves. Those leaves will just be blown back into the lawns and bushes. The city of Lakewood is NOT picking up the leaves on the 2 main west east streets (the way the wind blows) until December 1st at the earliest.
So we don't salt the streets anymore, we let out of towners use our streets as highways, we let RTA walk all over us and now we don't plan ahead after the first weekend without snow since all the leaves fell.... It is getting more and more difficult to defend the city I love(d).
I will be bagging my leaves, I hope my neighbors do the same since the leaves I am bagging are theirs to begin with, either that or I will push them into Clifton before rush hour tonight to pass them back....
I know sometimes my view of Mayor Summers clouds my view on things within the city but I found it interesting that on the first work day after the snow, a day with extreme wind expected, that Wilbert was cleaned up this morning. I am not suggesting the Mayor asked that it be done, but maybe the city workers want to keep him happy so he doesn't realize that many of them should be replaced...
wilbert 11-24-14.jpg (109.21 KiB) Viewed 2325 times
There was a crew in my neighborhood with one of the leaf vacuums, I think it was last Friday. They didn't do my street but it looked like they did the best they could vacuuming a lot of snow-covered leaves from Lake near us. This has been an unusual November obviously, the snow has disrupted the usual collection activity and schedule, like nothing I have seen since I moved here in 1985. Now the wind. I hope and presume that the City will do the best they can under the circumstances.
I am well aware of the narrative around here that "the city hates residents" but I don't believe that to be the case.
About those "leaf crews" . . . . On November 10th, I parked my car is the usual place where I drive to catch a 55 into downtown. As I parked, I noticed temporary signs indicating that a portion of the street would be closed on that day. I parked about 60 feet from the sign, but was nervous my whole way into work. So, once I got to work, I called the non-emergency number and told the dispatcher about the sign I saw and she said, "that sign means a city work crew will be in the area today" So I told her that I was parked farther down the block from where the sign was and she assured me that I was safe, otherwise the ENTIRE street would have had the signs, not just one posted by someone's driveway.
So, I get off the bus that afternoon relieved to see that my car had not been towed and was exactly where I left it. As I got to my car and began to unlock the door, I noticed a huge gouge and scrape in the ROOF of the car. I was upset, but continued to drive home. Once in the driveway, I got out of the car to give it a closer inspection and noticed a puncture and larger gouge by the left rear tail light. Upset, I called the city and they sent 2 accident inspectors over to the house to look at my car.
The inspectors were wonderful. The woman said, "I know EXACTLY how this happened - they picked up leaves in that neighborhood today and you were hit by a piece of city equipment". To which the male inspector says, "Good luck trying to prove that with the city". So, they write a report and asked me to park my car in the same spot the following day. They were going to have the crew supervisor meet them at my car to look at the damage. Well, the inspector calls me that evening to say, "They denied having hit your car" She said they tried to line up the equipment with the damage to no avail. And, they couldn't find paint transfer on the truck. But she did tell me that she was certain that this is what happened because the damage could not have been done by a car - and that she has been investigating accidents for 18 years. I mean, some of the damage was on my roof!! Not only that, but she didn't think they even brought the same equipment the next day. . .
So, I pick up my car tomorrow. $1,000 damage and I have a $500 deductible.
Sovereign immunity does not apply to counties or municipalities, or local agencies. Ryan get it right. Amy go after them and good luck. I'm sorry that happened to you. But the city does not hate you just because you live here.
Ryan I do agree with you that government is way too powerful.
I did speak to the Assistant Law Director and she told me without "absolute proof" - in other words, "as long as our guys deny it" - there is nothing they can do.
Sovereign immunity does apply to cities, at least it did a few years ago. But the protected entities usually have a moral claims commission, which will consider your case and may offer you a settlement.
Years ago I was driving on West 140 in Cleveland. Some road work was in process and some halfwit had removed the barrier they had set, so I drove into a ditch and damaged the suspension on my car. I had the damage fixed, and sent the receipt, along with an explanation of what had happened, to the moral claims commission, and a couple of months later I received a check that completely covered my damages. Of course, I was a lawyer and had the talent to present my claim artfully.
I don't know if Lakewood has a moral claims commission, and from what you have written, it appears that the city has evidence that they did not cause the damage, but it may be worth looking into.
Society in every state is a blessing, but the Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil...
