Just "One Shovel Wide"? A Thought....

[Gary Rice]

Compliance yes, but with compassion please...

I remember when Lakewood began the sidewalk repair and replacement initiative. Originally, the letter sent to residents was pretty cut and dry, with potential (and VERY serious) penalties clearly stated. In my opinion, that original letter was just plain SCARY, and not at all a reflection of a modern city capable of taking a higher road of compassion and affirmative interaction with its businesses and residents. I brought that to the attention of Mayor Summers, and last year, the new sidewalk repair/replacement letters went out with a spirit of cooperation with residents, and with a number of alternatives offered. Many sidewalks were finished up in a manner agreeable to all.

Lakewood would do well, whenever possible, in a similar manner and whenever possible, to promptly contact those out of compliance snow-covered sidewalk owners with questions and a list of sidewalk snow service alternatives, should there be human factors involved with that non-compliance.

Perhaps Lakewood is already doing that.

The other thing is, that all of that back and forth stuff takes time.

Someone needs to just get out there and clear that walk right then, even if it's just one shovel wide.

Compassionate compliance....Gee, am I starting to sound like a politician or what?

Back to the banjo

[Ryan Salo]

Gary,

I agree with you 40% or so.

In regards to homeowners, I believe we can have SOME compassion for those who may be physically unable to clear their sidewalk. If you are a homeowner in Lakewood you need to be RESPONSIBLE and have your sidewalk cleared, whether you do it yourself or you pay someone or you find a volunteer to help. If you own your home, it is not the city's responsibly to help you. Maybe some of these homeowners should sell so they can rent and let someone else be RESPONSIBLE.... to harsh? I don't think so...

In regards to business owners, we should show NO COMPASSION. If you own a business on a main road in Lakewood there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON not to clear your sidewalk. We need to hit these owners with fines and penalties until they realize the city is serious about keeping walkers SAFE.

We either need to do these items or delete the ordinance from the books. As Obama is showing on a national level, what good are laws that are not enforced...

[Corey Rossen]

Amy and Tim--- two class acts that we're fortunate to call our neighbors

Stan Austin

Stan, stop trying to butter them up, they are not coming over to shovel for you. "A" for effort, though.

Corey

[Stan Austin]

Corey--- you're a very nice person too! Do you have a snow shovel by the way? Stan

[Tim Liston]

Stan, Corey.... And Amy said *I* am immature? Well actually she was right. But you know what they say: what's the difference between bonds and boys? Bonds eventually mature. Heck I'm 60 and I hope I never grow up....

Back to the snow shovel....

[Corey Rossen]

Stan, Corey.... And Amy said *I* am immature? Well actually she was right. But you know what they say: what's the difference between bonds and boys? Bonds eventually mature. Heck I'm 60 and I hope I never grow up....

Back to the snow shovel....

Your snow shovel idea is a great one, I never thought of it. I have been spending all of time saving up to hire Stan.

Corey

[m buckley]

Day 6 ( at least ), and about that shovel... I just walked down Grace to Detroit and in fact Drug Mart's sidewalk on Grace is covered in snow. Apparently I was mistaken the other day when I had credited Drug Mart with belatedly doing the right thing. (As an aside, my neighbors would be ashamed of me for making that assumption). Anyway since none of us on Grace can get an honest answer from Drug Mart I was wondering if Ryan could get in touch with his contact. There are a lot of children using that sidewalk to walk to school not to mention those on Grace who want to take advantage of this walkable community.

[Ryan Salo]

I was out just now so I decided to stop by Drug Mart and then drive to rocky river along Detroit to see how businesses were doing.

I noticed that Drug Mart did a decent job along Detroit and it does look like they attempted to shovel on Grace, maybe the plows put some back. I spoke with my contact at the other location and she was going to contact the corp office again. The Grace sidewalk along Drug Mart could be better but it isn't as bad as Family Dollar right across the street.

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It doesn't look like it was ever touched. I called and spoke with the manager, who was the only employee working at the time. He, like Drug Mart blamed it on a snow removal contractor but said he would "look into it".

More to come shortly on other businesses.

[m buckley]

I just want to echo and add to Mr. Salo's comments. There Is Absolutely No Reason for a business not to shovel it's sidewalks. The fact Mr. Summers and his administration continually allow businesses to disregard this ordinance is just further evidence of an administration too eager to please commercial interests at the expense of residents concerns.

[Corey Rossen]

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It doesn't look like it was ever touched. I called and spoke with the manager, who was the only employee working at the time. He, like Drug Mart blamed it on a snow removal contractor but said he would "look into it".

More to come shortly on other businesses.

Not to worry, I think Jim just rounded the corner and is working his way up Grace. Be patient, Ryan, Jim can't be everywhere at once.

[Ryan Salo]

OK so I took 15 minutes and called Mary Simon at City hall along with all the law breaking businesses I encountered.

Mary was very nice, she actually went to school with my father. She explained to me that the city is both proactive and reactive when it comes to clearing sidewalks. She said there are inspectors that will notice issues and they also get calls and emails about businesses and residents not following city ordinance 521.06. When they see someone in violation they send them a letter explaining the ordinance and ask them to clear the sidewalk. If the sidewalk is not cleared the city will clear it and charge the resident or business $200. Do you know how many times this has been done in the 5 years they have been doing it? 0!! Yes that is correct, Mary said they have never done it. She said that the sidewalks just get cleared by the business or residents. She also said that if she gets repeat offenders she will go to them personally and ask why they can't properly maintain their sidewalk. She said she hasn't had to do that yet this year and rarely ever has had to do it.

Based on my drive down Detroit and the calls that I made I think that citizens just need to actually file more complaints to get these sidewalks clear every snowfall.

Below are the business I saw along my drive from the east end Drug Mart to the Rocky River bridge and the responses from the businesses when I called.

Family Dollar - I spoke with the manager - the only employee working at the time and he said a company does it and he will let corp know about my complaint.
Chipotle - Chipotle manager said not responsible for sidewalks - the city is supposed to clear that?
Hungry Howie - manager had no idea said they don't do it
UDF - The manager at UDF thought the city cleared it and when I told him they don't he said he would get out there and clear it
Auto Zone - manager said she shoveled the Detroit side right after the snow but city plows must have pushed it back and she didn't have anyone do the side street but she would now
The Stash - phone still disc
St Peters - woman who answered said they normally had someone do it and she looked out the window and saw what I meant - she was going to call the guy that does it and get it done
Donatos - manager blamed the plow company and said she would get on it
Dr Harter dentistry - receptionist said they hire a firm to do it and will let the Dr know it wasn't done
Chelsea gardens - left a message
Johns Diner - worker said owner hires firm to do driveway and not sidewalk
Papa Johns - Shift manager said they clear walkway outside of business and pay to have driveway cleared but have never worried about the sidewalk.
Bee Clean - no live person answers - left message
Georgetown - no one was there that knew who did it
Blackbird Bakery - One of the owners said they don't own the building and the landlord clears parking lot - she will work on getting sidewalks cleared

The excuse that these business didn't know they were responsible is either a direct lie, which it could be, or it shows how City Hall has failed to clearly address the requirements of running a business in Lakewood.

This was just a quick exercise on Detroit, I am sure the results on Madison will be even worse.

Shovel on.

[Amy Martin]

Mary may be very nice, but SHE NEEDS TO GET OFF HER ASS and get her job done. This is absolutely ridiculous. That this ordinance has not been enforced in 5 years is appalling. Mayor Summers and his administration fiddle while Rome burns.

I hope whomever falls and gets hurt sues the city for not enforcing it's own laws.

What an effen joke.

[Tim Liston]

Amy I agree with you. The city should do one of three things....

1) Enforce the current snow removal ordinance, with tickets if/when necessary.

2) Clear our sidewalks for us, like they clear our roadways.

3) Decide that clear sidewalks are not necessary and are optional, and rescind the snow removal ordinance.

At least that's what I think. I would hope they choose 1) or 2). But right now they have chosen "none of the above." And I think that is why we find ourselves where we do, and so many sidewalks are still snow-covered.

[Ryan Salo]

Tim,

I agree with you 100%.

I actually saw the new sidewalk "truck" driving down Clifton the day after the big snow. I thought the driver could have just as easily taken the sidewalk and cleared a path as she went to wherever she was going. Some is better than none...

[Danielle Masters]

Once they work on the businesses it would be nice to get after landlords that own multiple homes and never take care of the sidewalks in their homes. There is a landlord on our street who owns at least three properties, unless my husband does their sidewalks they don't get done. Our snowblower is dead, I shovel instead but I already have my own double wide property to shovel, the tenets are young and healthy, we have two streets in our neighborhood and yet they don't shovel. It pisses me off.