The Observation Deck

Danielle Masters wrote:Figures, honestly this is why I rarely come to this place anymore. As a taxpayer and homeowner I come here and say the roads are hell which they are. The roads in Cleveland are in better shape, or they were yesterday. I pay more in property taxes and city taxes than I did a few years ago and now my trash service sucks and the roads are awful in the winter. These are services that have gone down and I come here to vent my frustration and charts are thrown out. You know what I want, I want fricken clear roads like they used to be but what I don't want is to come to the deck anymore. Get over yourselves, Lakewood is going downhill and there is a reason very few folks post on the deck it isn't welcoming and it's all rah rah Lakewood. God forbid anyone brings up legitimate concerns and if they do and aren't part of the in crowd they get attack. Pathetic.

Danielle,

While Mike Summers was spending our tax dollars hanging with the POTUS in Washington, D.C., he did manage time to post a deflecting tweet:

25 Jan
Michael P. Summers@LakewoodMayor
Big problem getting enough salt. 1,000 tons back ordered by Morton salt-low bidder statewide contract. Orders placed with Cargill #1LKWD
Retweeted by City of Lakewood

http://www.onelakewood.com

The buck never stops at Mike's desk.

Matt

You could not make this stuff up.

Seriously.

.

Jim O'Bryan wrote:You could not make this stuff up.

Seriously.

Jim,

I can just imagine Mike Summers going up and down the “Detroit Avenue Chow Line” emptying customer salt packets into his royal, velvet lined pockets …

… if Mike weren’t actually just wasting our tax dollars in Washington, D.C. and tweeting photos of the POTUS on the city’s Twitter account like a giddy middle school student.

Seriously.

Matt

... and ...

... now ...

... the blame game begins ...

Supplier Freezes Lakewood’s Salt Reserve
Monday, January 27, 2014

Lakewood’s salt supply is running precariously low, and the city’s streets have suffered as a result.

Morton, the contracted company that provides the city’s salt, has failed to deliver the 1,000 tons back-ordered by the city.

Lakewood has now placed orders with other vendors, but not being under contract means that city isn’t high on companies’ priority list.

One of most the pedestrian-friendly cities in the state, Lakewood is dependent on the salt to keep the roadways clear and safe.

While the city waits for delivery, plow trucks have been on the streets around the clock to clear the accumulation of snow and ice. However, the removal of the final veneer of snow requires salt.

Mayor Michael Summers said that keeping the streets safe is a priority, hindered by the short supply.

“We are doing everything we can do ensure the safety of our residents,” he said. “And getting a salt to clear our streets is a big part of that. Unfortunately, we have had promises repeatedly broken by Morton.”

The issue has also been compounded by the frequency of snowfall (and the frequency of the need for salt) and the extreme cold, which requires more salt than usual.

Lakewood’s typical storage capacity is 1,500 tons, but the supply has dwindled to about 250 tons. “We’re not getting deliveries,” said Summers.

The city is focusing its remaining salt on hills and intersections until more arrives. Officials from Morton salt have promised that more salt is coming this week.

Meanwhile, the city is looking into its contractual remedies against Morton and is also trying to purchase salt from other government agencies.

Other cities, such as Canton, have found themselves in similar situations with Morton, which won a statewide public bid for salt supply. The Ohio Department of Transportation is also still waiting on 1,500 tons from Morton.

“And until our suppliers come through for us, we’ve got to be careful about how we drive,” added Summers.

http://www.onelakewood.com/News.aspx?NewsID=361

[quote="Grace O'Malley"]
EVERY city has increased costs, yadda yadda. Every city has concerns over revenue but they manage to keep the roads clean.
[/quote]

But every city does not have a declining population and an increase in poor and working poor like Lakewood does. These factors account in a reduction of tax revenue coming into the treasury.

I guess Pat learned his rhetoric from the top. No salt = why bother plowing...

Other neighboring cities don't have any problem salting their main roads, it is calling effective planning! I guess folks at city hall were too busy readying the mayor for his visit with the prez...

The mayor really blew an opportunity here. This is what he should have done.

Citizens of Lakewood. I understand some of you are upset at the conditions of the roads this year. Let me tell you why this is a good thing.

1. We have done a study and found that there are no more accidents in these conditions because everyone is going slower.
2. Using no salt has saved the city X amount in our budget that we can use towards Y.
3. By using no salt we are cutting back our pollution levels and saving the environment.

The benefits of not using salt far outway the disadvantages of you having to drive slower. I hope you understand and see things how I do, if not, don't worry, we will have an unelected city manager before you know it.

Ryan Salo wrote:I guess Pat learned his rhetoric from the top. No salt = why bother plowing...

Other neighboring cities don't have any problem salting their main roads, it is calling effective planning! I guess folks at city hall were too busy readying the mayor for his visit with the prez...

The mayor really blew an opportunity here. This is what he should have done.

Citizens of Lakewood. I understand some of you are upset at the conditions of the roads this year. Let me tell you why this is a good thing.

1. We have done a study and found that there are no more accidents in these conditions because everyone is going slower.
2. Using no salt has saved the city X amount in our budget that we can use towards Y.
3. By using no salt we are cutting back our pollution levels and saving the environment.

The benefits of not using salt far outway the disadvantages of you having to drive slower. I hope you understand and see things how I do, if not, don't worry, we will have an unelected city manager before you know it.

Well said, Ryan.

But Colin sure can write a press release.

The good news is that you can call to schedule an interview with the Mayor on why City Hall needs salt to plow roads:

From: McEwen, Colin [mailto:Colin.McEwen@lakewoodoh.net]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 2:04 PM
To: [redacted]
Subject: NEWS RELEASES: Supplier Freezes Lakewood's Salt Reserve

Please see the attached press release about the city’s salt shortage. To set up an interview with the mayor, please call Luann Baker at 216-529-6600.

-Colin


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This email is intended only for the use of the party to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential, or protected by law. If you are not the intended recipient you are hereby notified that any dissemination, copying or distribution of this email or its contents is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer.

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As Jim said:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:You could not make this stuff up.

Seriously.

Matt

... and ... in Michigan ... they plow ... without salt ...





Mike Summers seemed to agree with our friends up north based upon his prior tweets:

6 Jan
Michael P. Summers@LakewoodMayor
plunging temp renders salt less effective- melting snow will create more ice later. more traffic reduces icing (intersections). be careful
Retweeted by City of Lakewood

http://www.onelakewood.com/

.. and ...

3 Jan
Michael P. Summers@LakewoodMayor
2nd 24 hrs storm cleanup in process: side strts, parking lots, intersections, Sr. Citizen help. Salt less effective at low temps
#1lkwd
Retweeted by City of Lakewood

http://www.onelakewood.com/

Come on, Mike.

We all know that you are going to be replaced with an unelected city manager.

But, in the meantime, please keep your blame games straight.

Again, as Jim said:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:You could not make this stuff up.

Seriously.

Matt

Bill Burnett wrote:But every city does not have a declining population and an increase in poor and working poor like Lakewood does. These factors account in a reduction of tax revenue coming into the treasury.

Bill

I am not sure I buy this argument. I think it has a red herring being served.

Right now store fronts and homes are more filled than in a longtime.

Now we no longer have the large families, but the homes are filled, and or selling.

The real question is...

Where is this pay-off for paying hundreds of millions into business districts going to pay off?

Where is the increase in city revenues, that allow us to take a break and get back to the
good life we were promised over ten years ago at the start of this trek.

If we are to believe elected and city officials, we should be getting pretty near to Dubai,
or Monaco status on our taxes. Paying none, or getting a dividend check. At least that
was what they told us for decades.

Just saying....

.

I have a few thoughts on the press release:

1. At no point during this winter has it appeared as though there was any real salt use. It's not like the roads have been great and then suddenly bad with the latest snow and failed delivery. Maybe we are running low and things are getting even worse as we use even less salt, but I haven't been happy with the road situation from day one.

2. Salt is only part of the problem anyhow. Just the lack of plowing has been the bigger issue in my mind. When I almost slid through the Madison/Hilliard intersection on Friday, I blamed the lack of plowing and not the lack of salting. (Although I consider that a major intersection - one near a school - that should be getting salt.) Granted, after complaining to city hall - as many folks appear to have done - the situation has seemed to improve with much less slush and slop and snow piles and chunks in many areas. Maybe someone is finally waking up to reality or sensing a possible election issue.

3. Where's the contingency? I don't know much about running a city, but I spent more than 15 years in consumer products. Any critical raw materials had back up suppliers (and often back ups for the back ups). That way production wouldn't be interrupted even if supplier #1 was wiped off the face of the earth. Seems like a safety issue such as winter salt supplies would fall under the critical umbrella. Have police/fire/EMS had trouble getting around or seen an increase in accidents? The fact that I haven't seen the streets littered with wrecks means Lakewoodites should be commended for their patience and understanding and winter driving.

I am not complaining just to complain or because I'm a complainer or because I have anything against any person or group or anything like that. I am upset because this is not how Lakewood was in the past and it is not how adjacent cities are now. So I know that things could be (and have been) better.

Follow up question: Who made the switch to Morton and why? Did it look like a good cost savings? (Maybe even too good to be true?) What was the motivation to change to an unknown from what - as far as I know - was a working arrangement?

Totally agree with Jeff. I've always been proud to live in Lakewood because we DID have good services - fast police response, cleared streets, efficient and convenient trash pick up.
I've never once complained about the plowing, until now.

The plowing is not what it was. Main streets, where I expect the best and most attention, are a mess. It is not like that in River or Fairview. Lakewood streets are an embarrassment.

Wait, Jeff and Grace.

It gets even more confusing.

The streets couldn't be plowed before Mike Summers left to chill out with the POTUS (on our frozen dime) because it was too cold for salt to work.

Then the streets couldn't be plowed while Mike was in DC because we didn't have salt.

Mike returns from DC and City Hall issues a "State of Salt Emergency" as the excuse for not plowing the streets.

... but ...

... hold on ...

Almost two hours later, City Hall announces that plows are magically working 24/7 and City Hall can't use the salt that City Hall doesn't have because it is too cold to do any good!

From: Tuttle, Michael [mailto:Michael.Tuttle@lakewoodoh.net]
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 3:44 PM
To: Tuttle, Michael
Subject: Salt delays

The City is running low on salt. Morton Salt has a contract with the City but is not living up to delivering the agreed upon amount. Until we receive more deliveries the City will concentrate on hills and intersections. In the meantime, the plows are out 24/7. The deep freeze expected for Tuesday will only make matters worse. Salt does not work well at subzero temps. Drive safely and be aware. The problem is not the fault of city management. Morton has promised to get us more salt soon. [Emphasis added.]
Mike

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Internet communications are not assured to be secure or clear of inaccuracies as information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or contain viruses. Therefore, we do not accept responsibility for any errors or omissions that are present in this email, or any attachments, that have arisen as a result of e-mail transmission.

Mike, Mike, Mike.

Come on, man.

I'm a big fan of the elected mayor position.

I’m pulling for you to keep this elected mayor position around for generations to come.

We can't let the city manager huggers win!

But this, "I was against salt before I was for salt after I was against salt" attitude of yours is going to get us an unelected city manager in the end.

Yet, again, as Jim said:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:You could not make this stuff up.

Seriously.

Matt

Mike Summers is really good at playing the blame game. These posts started back up again the beginning of the year. Around January 2nd Mike Summers released the following.

From: Summers, Mike
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2014 10:55 AM

All,

As of this moment, ( (10:30AM thurs Jan 2nd) we have ten plows and five Salt plow- trucks on the road.

This storm started just before 4AM. We have had plows on the road since that 4AM. We will be plowing around the clock until we get cleared up. This usually takes 48 hours post snow fall.

Some things to remember:

1) We use salt lightly when we snow is still coming down and we are plowing heavily. Plowing tends to remove recently placed salt that has not been ground up by traffic

2) Salt is at its maximum effectiveness when it is ground into brine by auto traffic. Just placing salt by itself will not melt much.

3) We plow and salt side streets sufficiently to make 25MPH speeds safe. We do not scrape side streets clean until all major arteries are clear, usually in 2nd 24 hour period after the snow has fallen. This strategy reflects plowing and salting’s impact on road maintenance and environmental concerns.

4) Parking enforcement is reflective of conditions. We are currently using light enforcement strategies.

5) We have 100 less public works workers compared to the pre 2008 era. Overtime rules and call out strategies are being stressed. We will use these experiences to identify opportunities to improve both performance, labor equity, and public safety.


Michael P. Summers
Mayor, City of Lakewood
mike.summers@lakewoodoh.net<mailto:mike.summers@lakewoodoh.net>
216-529-6600

So... the roads were bad back on the 2nd because we have less employees than years past. Now that the roads are bad again, this time it is because we have no salt??

I thought Mike was supposed to bring a business experience into city hall. If this was a business they would be fired and replaced.

This is embarrassing.

I've been out and about and I think the roads are pretty good. And my trashed got collected right on time. Perhaps maybe it's time to stop complaining and recognize that really bad weather happens now and then....

Tim,

If we don't complain and let city hall know that they need to improve, services will get worse and worse. Like everyone else has stated, when Cleveland can clear the main roads better than Lakewood something needs to be fixed.