The Observation Deck

Councilman Demro, thank you again. I appreciate the response. I don't know why the city can't send city workers (depending on availability of course) or a landscaping company to do the work, then stick the property owners with the bill. I guess I live on a different planet. Once everyone sees the city is serious, some of the offenders will begin to clean up their act before they are stuck with the bills. Most businesses/residences in Lakewood have a tiny amount of sidewalk per property. Some would only take 5 to 10 minutes to clear by one person after a normal snow storm. Perhaps most feel if there is no enforcement, there is no reason for them to comply (similar to the smoking situation). Lastly, if it is something that can't be or won't be enforced, then perhaps some housekeeping is in order--proper procedures may need to be taken to remove the laws.

I guess the tall grass in the summer is a similar problem, but in a different season. At least it doesn't prevent the citizens from walking around.

Doug

DougHuntingdon wrote:Councilman Demro, thank you again. I appreciate the response. I don't know why the city can't send city workers (depending on availability of course) or a landscaping company to do the work, then stick the property owners with the bill. I guess I live on a different planet. Once everyone sees the city is serious, some of the offenders will begin to clean up their act before they are stuck with the bills. Most businesses/residences in Lakewood have a tiny amount of sidewalk per property. Some would only take 5 to 10 minutes to clear by one person after a normal snow storm. Perhaps most feel if there is no enforcement, there is no reason for them to comply (similar to the smoking situation). Lastly, if it is something that can't be or won't be enforced, then perhaps some housekeeping is in order--proper procedures may need to be taken to remove the laws.

I guess the tall grass in the summer is a similar problem, but in a different season. At least it doesn't prevent the citizens from walking around.

Doug

Doug

I am sure that Councilman Demro can confirm, there are laws for grass, and they do exactly as you suggest. Cut the grass and bill the resident. I do not see a huge difference between the two. Both make home unsightly.

The one difference you add is that snow on walks makes it impossible to walk.

We have a group home around the corner from us and their only exercise is walking around the block. I felt sorry for them yesterday as they would walk the sidewalk, then climb hills of snow to get into the street, then cut back when they could.

Most are disabled in one way or another, and walking in Riverside is at best dangerous on a nice day. when it is snowy or slippery it borders on insane.

FWIW

All -

I drove down Rockway this morning and it was, indeed, a mess. It seems that the streets without cars are cleared. Others are not.

Clifton, just before 117th, had two cars parked in the right hand westbound lane at 8:00 am, not that anyone could have used that lane anyway with the piles of snow every 10 feet or so.

Given the magnitude of the storm, tt seems obvious that City Hall has decided not to enforce the "snow street" and sidewalk clearing ordinances to the full extent of the law. Instead, a temporary policy of understanding and patience seems to have emerged. I am assuming that that patience will start to wane soon leading to a resumption of full enforcement.

Jim - I've gotten over to my rental on Franklin three times since Friday to re shovel the apron and sidewalks. Thanks again for making that task much easier for me.

I've gotten more calls from residents regarding snow-ban-related issues than any other lately. No surprise.

Councilmembers are fairly removed from the snow-ban directives, which originate with the mayor and are enforced by the police. Nevertheless, I'd invite anyone who wishes to take the matter up with the administration and council to attend tomorrow (Tuesday) night's full council meeting, which begins at 7:30 in the auditorium at 12650 Detroit Ave., Lakewood.

If you intend to speak, make sure to sign in where noted. Guidelines on addressing council and the administration are posted here:

http://www.ci.lakewood.oh.us/citygovern ... endas.html

Best wishes,

Kevin Butler
(Ward 1 Council)

Oddly enough, Rockway was actually plowed yesterday, by a small dumptruck with a small plow attached (not one of the usual snow plow trucks). They did the west side of the street, turned around, and sort of did the east side of the street ... the job was made difficult by all the cars parked on the east side of the street ... several of which were snowed in pretty heavily, because they're rarely if ever moved. However, by this morning it looks like it had never been plowed.

For a moment I was happy, because they plowed around one of the cars that partially blocks my driveway, leaving a big snow drift that would prevent any other cars from parking directly across the street from me ... however, some resident on their own shoveled out the section directly across the street from me ... letting someone park there, making it nearly impossible yet again for me to get out. But that's okay, I actually tapped their car a little bit with mine in trying to maneuver my car out of my driveway (it's tough when the area you're backing into is only a car-width wide). Hopefully they'll get tired of the dings and dents and finally move their car elsewhere.

Too bad Council can't encourage the Mayor and the police to actually enforce the parking ban ... even for a single day or two, which is probably all the guys in the plows need to fully plow the streets on BOTH sides.

On one of the busiest north to south streets, Warren, south of Madison, many side walks are just as deep today, as they were at the peak of the "dumping".
Kids and older people have to walk in the street to get to where they're going, and to walk on the sidewalk in the summer is dangerous enough at some sections.

The snow is now heavy, and I would think that the people living in these homes that either cannot afford to have someone to run a blower or plow should have some type of recourse, possibly the city, or volunteer (s) to clear a walking path before someone gets hurt.

Doug,

The law can be enforced, those charged with it choose not to do it or to do it in an unorganized and haphazard way. I agree that this is very similar to the grass cutting ordinance. The Mayor is the enforcer, he should get on this. Parking bans are pointless if you stop plowing the snow and refuse to tow, even days later. What happened to the 24 hour parking restriction? People need to be asking tough questions of Tom George.

On the subject of snow removal, thank you Ryan for helping out with snow removal today. We appreciate the service you gave.

mayors should keep after the snow ... John Lindsey in New York City learned that the hard way after a major blizzard in the late 1960s; he concentrated snow removal in Manhattan, ignoring the outer boroughs, and the resulting outcry helped lead to his losing the next election. Same thing happened to Chicago mayor Bilandic in 1979, after the city was hit hard and crippled by a snowstorm. The city's tardy response annoyed the electorate, and he ended up losing the next election to Jane Byrne, and the snow removal was a big issue.

Tip O'Neill had it right ... all politics is local. Taking care of little things like snow removal (or not taking care of it) can often have a big impact, more so than a politician's stance on "big ideas" and whatnot.

So hopefully Hizzoner George will take a more active role in enforcing the snow parking ban (or at least take down the signs on every street, if it is indeed an utter farce) and look into the snow plowing and removal of his fair city.

I am willing to shovel sidewalks for 5 dollars a residential unit. I am also willing to dig cars out of piles of street-plowed snow for 5 dollars a car. I do not get the last inch of ice/dense snow.

As I type this, one of the last cars on my street still snowed in since last Tuesday is being ticketed and towed out. The car's owner is making his case to the LPD officer, but to no avail.

Mayor George is the mayor of a small city with 50000 people not a federal representative in a country of 300 million. C Dawson are you implying that Kucinich should get involved?

I believe the mayor of Philadelphia was prominently kicked out after a garbage issue, maybe 20 or 30 years ago.

If the snowball is really in the Mayor's hands, I hope city council (including Demro and Butler) hold the mayor's feet to the ice. I don't know the mayor's home address, but I wonder if his sidewalk is clean. Ryan I hope you will be asking tough questions of Mayor George next time you get a chance at a council meeting or the next time you are in the media.

Lakewood isn't Chardon, Ashtabula, or Buffalo, but it's not Florida either. Snow is a real issue every year.

Who is running against Mayor George this time? Just Fitzgerald? Does he have any comments on the snow issue?

Doug

PS Glad to see a car is finally being ticketed. It's only been about a week since the storm hit.

The car is gone, now.

During the early afternoon today, I noticed a city dump truck full of snow stopped inn front of my house. It was followed close behind by a front-end loader, clearing large wedges of snow from the street and dropping it into the truck. Then they moved on. Interesting snow-removal technique.

During the early afternoon today, I noticed a city dump truck full of snow stopped inn front of my house. It was followed close behind by a front-end loader, clearing large wedges of snow from the street and dropping it into the truck. Then they moved on. Interesting snow-removal technique.

I saw the same thing on my street today. I am glad the huge chunks are finally off the street. I know of a few cars that haven't moved since the storm, I will be watching to see if they are towed in the next day or so.

Wow Doug, it's interesting how you manage to bring Kucinich into this ... because the discussion had nothing to do with him. Do you hate him that much that you're this obsessed with him?

Have you seen a counselor or therapist to discuss this unhealthy obsession?

I was mostly implying that any politician, to be ultimately successful and long-lived in the profession, really has to pay attention to the small details like snow removal, garbage removal, etc. Sure, it's not glamorous, and most politicians would rather be doing a "grip and grin" at some unveiling, or standing in front of a big sign indicating a new store or some other grand plan, but it's the little details that really please the electorate. And regardless of what is done in Washington by politicians of either party, the politics that really affect us on a daily basis is what happens in our town. Here democracy is more direct, because if the mayor displeases us, out he goes. The same can happen with the folks who represent us in Congress, but to be honest, they're usually focused on the "big picture," whatever that may be at a given moment, and most of us have no clue what they're really doing (though we're convinced, probably rightfully so, that they're busy taking money from lobbyists). So they often don't affect us on a daily basis ... unlike our mayor and councilpeople.

Either way, I'm still not sure how and why you wanted Kucinich in this discussion.

Oh well, could be worse ... you could have talked about a Republican ... who would have moved one shovelful of snow, declared "Mission Accomplished" and then moved on, ignoring the massive piles of snow still surrounding.

touche!