POST-STORM BRUSH COLLECTION CONTROVERSY
A week before Halloween, the city was hit hard by a wet, early snow storm that snapped branches and downed trees.
In a recent blog I posted a picture showing a long line of shoulder-high brush that sat next to Bishop Road for almost 2 weeks before finally being cleared away.A week before Halloween, the city was hit hard by a wet, early snow storm that snapped branches and downed trees.
I also mentioned that during Halloween week I watched a Service Department crew go up and down my street on leaf collection duty---looking for leaves and ignoring the piles of uncollected brush that lined Hawthorne.
Service Director Thom Evans discussed his department’s post-storm brush collection efforts at the November 12th Council meeting.
According to Evans, residents were “overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative” of the service they received.
Evans’ spin didn’t jibe with Council members’ experience of the storm aftermath.
They reported receiving lots of calls from upset residents demanding to know when the brush was going to be cleared from tree lawns and neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Lisa Stickan discussed calls she received from parents, who were alarmed when uncollected branches blew across city streets and sidewalks around trick-or-treaters on Halloween night (a week after the storm ended).
Council President Cathy Murphy told Evans that she had:
They reported receiving lots of calls from upset residents demanding to know when the brush was going to be cleared from tree lawns and neighborhoods.
Councilwoman Lisa Stickan discussed calls she received from parents, who were alarmed when uncollected branches blew across city streets and sidewalks around trick-or-treaters on Halloween night (a week after the storm ended).
Council President Cathy Murphy told Evans that she had:
“..received many calls from residents 10 days after the storm. I know there were a lot of frustrated residents. I’m glad we were able to get some help in to expedite things, so we could get the city cleaned up.”
The “help” Murphy referred to was provided by the City of Bedford Heights.
That city provided a crew, a truck and a chipper to assist cleanup efforts in Highland Heights and several other surrounding communities.
Talk about being a good neighbor!
I recently heard from someone who was in the thick of the post-storm cleanup effort. With his permission, I share some of what he wrote me, sharing his take on the situation:
“My name is Dave (Soros). I am a full-time … Highland Heights Service Department (employee)…and a Highland Heights resident… Your (Nov. 5th blog) really struck a nerve with me.On the morning of October 24th I was called in to plow the city streets… Instead, I .. cleared … downed tree limbs. It was cold and wet but we still managed to break a sweat. My department has not stopped collecting brush since the morning of the storm…We have taken every feasible measure to clear as much storm debris as possible, including renting another brush chipper and sending out our dump trucks to haul away brush.… most residents do not understand how some of our services work. The efficacy of brush collection relies heavily on the brush piles themselves. We have encountered countless brush piles that look like one of Tolkien's Ents cleaned out his hairbrush on a tree lawn. People don't realize how much faster and easier brush collection would be if they left the limbs long and narrow, with the butt-ends toward the street/aiming with traffic…This storm clean-up is a slow and taxing process for our department. …It… doesn't expedite our services when residents ..(mix) their garden waste/leaves with branches…(cut) limbs too short, and carelessly (pile) brush on their lawns. We have worked long hours. We are tired. We are sore. We are bruised and scratched…”
So there you have it.
Like they always say:
There are always (at least) 2 sides to every story.
OSBORNE UPDATE: A SIGN…BUT STILL NO CLOSING?
A “Shoppes at Brainard Crossing” sign has been installed along Wilson Mills Road in front of the closed Catalano’s grocery store.
It appears to be the same sign that developer Lance Osborne used during his unsuccessful mega GetGo rezoning campaign.
You know... the one one that promoted retail businesses without mentioning the16 pump gas and diesel station that Osborne wanted to put in front.
It appears to be the same sign that developer Lance Osborne used during his unsuccessful mega GetGo rezoning campaign.
You know... the one one that promoted retail businesses without mentioning the16 pump gas and diesel station that Osborne wanted to put in front.
Now there’s an example of creative recycling for you…
The sign made me wonder: is the redevelopment project finally moving forward?
I checked the county auditor’s website this afternoon.
it doesn’t show that Osborne has purchased the property.
County records still list a Giant Eagle-affiliated company as the owner.
I checked the county auditor’s website this afternoon.
it doesn’t show that Osborne has purchased the property.
County records still list a Giant Eagle-affiliated company as the owner.
Once again, is it a case of (more) "Promises, Promises" from Lance Osborne?
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| This is the GetGo rezoning sign used by Osborne 2 years ago |
