The Observation Deck

Sorry, but if you do not write great, or good, or happy news, a majority of Lakewood will no longer read.

If you drive around Lakewood today, you will see a great many parking meters missing, replaced by orange, "DO NOT PARK OR YOU WILL BE TOWED" signs where the broken meters were. In some area like by Barry Buick, 3 in a row were removed, getting rid of half the parking in that area. In normal towns that did not destroy their tax base and spend millions on covering it up, they do not care if you park for FREE at a broken meter, but, in the city going broke through their own mismanagement and lies, we need to ticket and tow those pesky shopping, church going scofflaws.

But this morning was a lowest of lows...



They would really tow a handicaps person's car, going to church because their meter, which the city was advised not to purchase in wet cold areas, broke?

That is nuts. Handicap people, welcome to Lakewood.

At the same time, look at the brick work, the trees, the weeds. If this was a residence, they would be cited and fined. Here, ignore it, just make sure you make it hard on handicapped and other residents every chance you get.

City Hall used to have some pride.

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The city appears to be setting up to sell the parking meter franchise for a pittance.

cmager wrote:The city appears to be setting up to sell the parking meter franchise for a pittance.

Actually, they already privatized it. Fines are sent to:

CITY OF LAKEWOOD
PO BOX 10479
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658-0479

With all the things that used to be run from City Hall, now being outsourced, I'm starting to rethink that, "Well, he is good sat business" BS

I have never gotten a parking ticket I didn't deserve in this city, and every meter police officer has been polite, and humorous while writing them.

They have a tough job, they really try, and are just following orders.

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Not sure I would agree that being a parking "officer" in Lakewood is a tough job. We recently bought them all new SUV's, and it's not like they are exposed to the elements 24/7 like school guards.

Additionally, I have witnessed them short-cutting across private property to avoid traffic lights more than once.

Also, they can't really be that busy. I was out working in my yard yesterday and one of the SUV's drove by my house three times. There are no meters nearby my house. The third time they went by, I snapped a picture and said "Howdy!"

Last summer, the gentleman followed me up and down every side street that I was delivering literature on, although this behavior has now decreased. I suspect he was ordered to do this by Summers & Company, but why is Summers & Company so interested in where I'm going?

Lori Allen _ wrote:Not sure I would agree that being a parking "officer" in Lakewood is a tough job. We recently bought them all new SUV's, and it's not like they are exposed to the elements 24/7 like school guards.

Lori

Really? I had heard at least 25 arguments with them and ticketed car owners, in their face, freaking out on them. I would imagine it happens hourly.

Summers might have people watching you, let me assure you he prefers convicted criminals that he can throw away like a saturday-night-special, over parking meter readers.

I did notice the other day, you were on city workers for not paying attention, they you get upset when they do?

In the past, not with this administration I have spent the day with meter readers, garbage men, city workers, etc. They work their asses off, in some of the worst weather imaginable. I took photos of them working picking up snow covered garbage in 13 degree below days. They have a smaller work force then ever before, and are still keeping up.

Right now they are looking at privatizing garbage, and they will care even less. I have been told, that this thread is one being used by management to prove, they need to privatize.

Unintended consequences. When it comes to city workers, not management, I always think of...




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Jim O'Bryan wrote:Actually, they already privatized it. Fines are sent to:

CITY OF LAKEWOOD
PO BOX 10479
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658-0479

With all the things that used to be run from City Hall, now being outsourced, I'm starting to rethink that, "Well, he is good sat business" BS

When was it privatized? I don't remember hearing anything about that.
Privatization of parking meters has not gone well in Chicago.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/em ... r-debacle/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/2 ... 54824.html

Michael Deneen wrote:

Jim O'Bryan wrote:Actually, they already privatized it. Fines are sent to:

CITY OF LAKEWOOD
PO BOX 10479
NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658-0479

With all the things that used to be run from City Hall, now being outsourced, I'm starting to rethink that, "Well, he is good sat business" BS

When was it privatized? I don't remember hearing anything about that.
Privatization of parking meters has not gone well in Chicago.

http://chicago.suntimes.com/politics/em ... r-debacle/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/2 ... 54824.html

We wrote about it. Maybe back in FitzGerald days. Same meter readers, just different paychecks.

Actually, I have had nothing but good experiences with old and new ticket writers, and I get a ton of parking tickets.

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I never had a problem with the garbage people, streets, parks, water, etc. I don't recall ever criticizing them specifically on here. Ever. They do work their asses of, even more so with city hall cutbacks. My nieces and nephews even made a cake for Bill the garbage man when he retired many years ago. Most of our public works vehicles do not even have working radios anymore (although the city is paying for an FCC license). I even heard yard waste has to work overtime on a lot of days because one of the trucks or the cushmans usually breaks down.

The problem mostly lies with mayor and council. They are supposed to be keeping a watchful eye and helping the employees, doing their best to ensure they get the supplies and tools they need.

FWIW.

Lori Allen _ wrote:I never had a problem with the garbage people, streets, parks, water, etc. I don't recall ever criticizing them specifically on here. Ever. They do work their asses of, even more so with city hall cutbacks. My nieces and nephews even made a cake for Bill the garbage man when he retired many years ago. Most of our public works vehicles do not even have working radios anymore (although the city is paying for an FCC license). I even heard yard waste has to work overtime on a lot of days because one of the trucks or the cushmans usually breaks down.

The problem mostly lies with mayor and council. They are supposed to be keeping a watchful eye and helping the employees, doing their best to ensure they get the supplies and tools they need.

FWIW.

Lori

I'm glad you agree, garbage trucks have insane schedules to meet, and honestly even Joe Beno is working his ass off right now, trying to do more with less.

The fault lies with the mayor, $2.5 million for an election stunt, spending money like a drunken sailor, when he knows just how tough it will get.

This mayor walked into a top tier city in the county, and destroyed it, the tax base, the streets, the community. A wonderful loving open community, now afraid to talk, because of what others will say, or who will be sent to visit them in the night.

Que the music...




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I dunno that I expect the Mayor/council to be out looking for garbage being put out on the wrong day. Actually I seriously hope he isn't spending ANY time doing that.

Who should be doing it? Council voted themselves a raise, and I believe some of the new members make $13,000 a year. There are four ward council persons and three at-large. They should be out, on foot , if able, viewing their streets and looking for issues. They are not being paid to say "aye" to Summers twice a month. They get paid to look for these things. The rest of us don't. They should also be reaching out to those that are physically or financially unable to maintain their properties. This is what well-run communities do. Garbage laying out, long grass, and homes falling apart does not reflect well on the city and is not fair to those of us that maintain our properties. It can also lower property values over time.

There is an old saying: "if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen".

Maybe I misunderstand the duties of councilmen (not hard to imagine since I am very new to city politics). I would assume that someone from the refuse and recycling department would be responsible for keeping an eye out for illegal refuse and recycling. Trust me those guys are paid a lot more than $13,000 (you make it sound like a lot of money; it's nothing).

It would seem the headline on this is slightly wrong, it should read.

City of Lakewood Allows RTA To Go After Our Handicapped and City.

All of the missing meters are for the new Detroit Avenue Bus Shelters and parking spaces. It seem the double buses that are rarely half filled, need more room in Lakewood, so as we gave up two lanes of traffic to RTA on Clifton, we now give up parking spaces, and Handicap Parking Zones.

Thanks guys, for a second I thought you might just drive single buses on the slow routes, how silly.

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Jim O'Bryan wrote:It would seem the headline on this is slightly wrong, it should read.

City of Lakewood Allows RTA To Go After Our Handicapped and City.

All of the missing meters are for the new Detroit Avenue Bus Shelters and parking spaces. It seem the double buses that are rarely half filled, need more room in Lakewood, so as we gave up two lanes of traffic to RTA on Clifton, we now give up parking spaces, and Handicap Parking Zones.

Thanks guys, for a second I thought you might just drive single buses on the slow routes, how silly.

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Um hmmm...

Jim O'Bryan wrote: This is one of the problems with not all the facts.

Sound familiar?

Corey Rossen wrote:All of the missing meters are for the new Detroit Avenue Bus Shelters and parking spaces. It seem the double buses that are rarely half filled, need more room in Lakewood, so as we gave up two lanes of traffic to RTA on Clifton, we now give up parking spaces, and Handicap Parking Zones.

Thanks guys, for a second I thought you might just drive single buses on the slow routes, how silly.

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Um hmmm...

Jim O'Bryan wrote: This is one of the problems with not all the facts.

Sound familiar? [/quote]


Corey

Sounds familiar? RTA is added to the name City of Lakewood, it does not dismiss City's play on this.

As we found out with Community Circulators, and Clifton RTA Lines, the City of Lakewood has dominion over RTA when they want to. Hell, the city could say no extended buses.

So yeah it sounds familiar.

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