1/15/15
If
council or the administration has a plan to find the money to repair
the rapidly deteriorating streets of this fair city I have yet to
hear of it. We are, according to the street department
superintendent, facing a million dollar repair bill in the next year
or two and I have no idea of how we are going to pay for it.
I
have spent hours of research on this project and presented the
results to the city fathers and mothers and the least I could expect
is someone telling me that we have a plan and what is what it is.
I
realize that this is an election year but in this single party town,
that shouldn't be a factor.
In
case council and the administration think the public would not trust
them on the street repair needs I suggest that we follow the water
rate model. The needs of the water department were long running but
no one wanted to step up and increase water rates. The solution then
was to hire a consultant and under that cover, rates were increased.
Do we need to spend a few thousand bucks for a street repair
consultant and then say, "it's not us, it's the consultant
saying we need to raise revenue"
I
and many folks I talk to have a difficult time understanding why
council is denying the voters an opportunity to chose a revenue
source for street repair and maintenance. Under Ohio law council
can't raise local taxes only the voters can do that. Council has
missed this election cycle's dead line to offer that option and that
too too bad.
I
would like to see a council that is proactive and not just reactive
to routine legislation placed in their meeting packets.
We
talk about development and jobs for the city but what would a
prospective job creator's impression be if they had to dodge pot
holes as the drove in to town.
My
question is not rhetorical I would like to hear about a plan if
there is one!
Thanks
for letting me vent my frustrations.
[Post
script: Council's streets committee chairman McKay plans to schedule
a meeting to deal with the problem]
Paul
Hunter
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