Residents hoping to read Engineer Brian Mader’s flooding
report still won’t find it posted on
the city’s website.
It makes me wonder:
Why are our elected officials withholding this public
document from residents?
What’s the secret?
Having recently paid to upgrade the city’s website, residents certainly have
the right to expect that it will be used effectively, to communicate not just
what our elected officials want to tell us, but also what residents have a
right to know.
Fear not, blog enthusiasts.
Here is the report:
SOME RELIEF
FOR THE WILLIAMSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD
At last week’s Council meeting (the last one prior to its August
recess) Council appropriated $25,000 to cover drainage and flooding-related
engineering fees.
FOR THE WILLIAMSBURG NEIGHBORHOOD
First up: cleaning out a water detention basin in the
Williamsburg neighborhood and modifying the channels leading to and from the
basin.
Engineer Brian Mader reported that there was “sediment build
up” in the basin:
“We found 500 cubic yards of sediment sitting at bottom of the basin. It needs to be removed to restore it (the basin) to its original capacity.
I recommend we install trash racks to keep out debris.
We need to modify the outlet channel so we can do debris catching. Debris is getting caught up in there all the time.”
The total estimated cost for that work alone: $45,000 to
$50,000.
Mader expained:
Mader expained:
A large portion of that, maybe $10,000, would be set aside in case the city has to replace a driveway.
The only access to the basin is a residential driveway.
CITY AUCTION:
GOOD DEAL OR GIVING AWAY THE RANCH?
GOOD DEAL OR GIVING AWAY THE RANCH?
There were a couple of things on Service Department Director
Thom Evans’ mind at the July 21th Committee of the Whole meeting.
One was the city’s street sweeping machine.
It’s on its last legs, according to Evans.
Buying a new one would be quite pricey… we’re talking about maybe half a million dollars pricey.
Evans told Council:
It’s on its last legs, according to Evans.
Buying a new one would be quite pricey… we’re talking about maybe half a million dollars pricey.
Evans told Council:
I think we can get this year out of it. Next year might be pushing it.
We’re doing a study, looking at our options: repairing it, replacing it , or bringing in a contractor….
12 or 13 years is about the life of a sweeper.
They are very expensive.”
The second thing on Evans’ mind was an auction.
Evans has been working to put the city into the online auction business, through a website called www.govdeals.com.
GovDeals describes itself as:
Evans has been working to put the city into the online auction business, through a website called www.govdeals.com.
GovDeals describes itself as:
“A liquidity Services Marketplace.
GovDeals provides services to various government agencies that allow them to sell surplus and confiscated items via the Internet.
Each participating agency has its own auction rules and regulations and may be subject to government ordinances.”
Evans proposes to use the website to:
“…offload unused surplus equipment.
Any equipment that has a value of over $1000 needs to go through the process of having Council declare it as surplus.
Some type of legislation is required in order to go through the online auction process.
This is what I’d like to do.
I’d like to set an auction to begin approximately the middle of October. I’d like it to concide with the (city) newsletter, to give residents an opportunity to go on and bid.
It should attract a national audience.”
Mayor Scott Coleman asked:
“Who determines the value (of the auctioned items)?
Evans didn’t provide a direct answer, but indicated that he ---not the city’s
Finance Director Joe Fillipo, not a professional appraiser---was going to do it himself:
“I haven’t going thru the training yet, but we can set minimum bid requirements.
We have a couple of snowplows that don’t fit our trucks.
I will put what I think is the waste value, based on its scrap (metal) value.
One snowplow truck we will be getting rid of. It would be the 6th truck in our fleet. That could draw value of a $5,000 to $15,000 price.”
Since Evans would really, really like
a new, very expensive street sweeper, the auction might be one way to help
finance that purchase.
But while Evans is capable of doing many things, gauging the market and determining retail value of surplus equipment has never been part of the Service Director’s job.
But while Evans is capable of doing many things, gauging the market and determining retail value of surplus equipment has never been part of the Service Director’s job.
One thing is for sure:
The city won’t make much money if useable equipment is sold at scrap prices.
It seems pretty obvious to me that Evans…and the city’s taxpaying
residents---would probably come out farther ahead if a finance or sales
professional determined value and hung the price tags instead.
NOVEMBER ELECTION: CONTEST IN WARD 4
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections hasn’t posted the
final slate of Council candidates for the upcoming November election, but one
thing I know for sure:
There will be a contest in Ward 4.
The candidate filing deadline was yesterday.
Scott Mills---former Council President and mayoral
candidate---has filed to run for the Ward 4 seat against incumbent Ward 4 Councilwoman Ann D’Amico.
FORGET ABOUT ME… BUT DO IT FOR ME
Unlike the previous weeks, there was no crowd of residents in attendance at the July 28th Council meeting to talk about flooded basements.
One resident did, however, speak on the issue: Former Mayor Tom Hughes.
As anyone who regularly attends Council meetings knows, Hughes has never been one to abide by the 3-minute time limit imposed on other speakers during the “Public Speaking” portion of Council meetings.
He spoke for 10 minutes.
Unlike the previous weeks, there was no crowd of residents in attendance at the July 28th Council meeting to talk about flooded basements.
One resident did, however, speak on the issue: Former Mayor Tom Hughes.
As anyone who regularly attends Council meetings knows, Hughes has never been one to abide by the 3-minute time limit imposed on other speakers during the “Public Speaking” portion of Council meetings.
He spoke for 10 minutes.
That’s record brevity for him.
Hughes, a Millridge Drive resident, told Council:
There is a drainage problem in my area.
It’s been getting worse and now it's getting worser. …I plead with you to take me out of the equation. Now it’s an area-wide problem.I am taking myself out of the equation, but I want you to do something for me.The city spent thousands of dollars to put in detention basins in the area of South of Wilson Mills and behind the nursery.
If the city can spend all that money, they can spend something to invest in our area.”
Unfortunately for Hughes, there is a long que ahead of him.
Lots of residents are looking for similar help and relief.
Lots of residents are looking for similar help and relief.
PARTING SHOT
As is customary, Councilman Chuck Brunello, Chair of the
Community Day Committee for the past several years, provided a wrap up of this
year’s event at the July 28th Council meeting.
Brunello called it:
Brunello called it:
“… one of better ones we’ve had in some time.”
The good weather surely helped.
Brunello gave a shout-out to some of the city’s supporting
cast members: Service Director Thom Evans, Police Chief Jim Cook, Fire Chief
Bill Turner and their crews.
Brunello said:
Brunello said:
“ I appreciate all you guyses’ help.”
And help they did.
The fireworks were great….a pricey but enjoyable treat.
The fireworks were great….a pricey but enjoyable treat.
The one thing I keep hearing, though….and not just from
Former Mayor Tom Hughes…is:
Bring Back the Parade!
