Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
Cleveland-Cliffs held a groundbreaking Thursday to celebrate the construction of its first hot-briquetted iron production plant. This is an amazing development for our city. Cleveland-Cliffs is investing $700 million to build one of the world’s most efficient and modern iron making plants that will produce 1.6 million metric tons of customized high-quality HBI per year when completed.
The history of that development was clear to me as I took part in the
ceremony to break ground
in East Toledo. Our city was put on the map and made great by people like Michael Owens, Edward Drummond Libbey, and others who were attracted to this part of the world because of unique natural resources and the hardworking people who live here. Now, 120 or 130 years later, this generation of business leaders have come to our region for much of the same - if not
the
exact same - reasons.
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History repeats itself. The East Toledo neighborhood where Cleveland-Cliffs' new facility will be built has a long history of producing materials that supported industry and the livelihood of Toledoans.
This part of the country is sometimes ridiculed as the "Rust Belt." Well, we should be known as the "Water Belt." More than 20 percent of the surface fresh water on planet Earth is located in our backyard. Much of the world is thirsty and struggling to meet water demands. We are blessed to have it in abundance.
There are big cities that also have access to the Great Lakes but Toledo is home to the second-largest port on the lakes. We have a great history and we are ready to compete and ready to win.
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Also this week, it was announced that we are close to reaching an agreement with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency on restoring Manhattan Marsh in North Toledo. As part of a proposed deal, Toledo will transfer nearly 22 acres of land to Metroparks Toledo for the parks district to maintain as part of its latest metropark, to be built on Manhattan Marsh in North Toledo. We are hopeful Manhattan Marsh will be open to the public by the fall of 2019. The plans include a canoe and kayak launch, walking trails, new boardwalks, a 20-vehicle parking lot, and new bathrooms.
Lastly this week, I want to wish a very happy Orthodox Easter to all observing the holiday this Sunday and a very happy Passover to all who observe it.
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Toledo's residential road patch and repair program, formerly called the mill and fill program, is scheduled to start April 16. This program is designed to take out bad pavement and replace it with new asphalt. We will also begin crack sealing to extend the life of streets. City crews completed 16 miles last year. The goal for 2018 is 25 miles. The 2018 budget includes $700,000 for the 2018 program.
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The Toledo street sweeping program started on April 2. Sweepers come through two days after trash collection. Each route should get seven sweeps this season. Last year, more than 6.3 million pounds of debris were collected.
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The city is nearly done repairing the gymnasium floor and painting walls of Toledo's Police Athletic League building at 1111 East Manhattan Blvd. The floor had water damage and some of it needed to be replaced.
PAL is a non-profit, delinquency prevention program that works to prevent juvenile crime and violence by building the bond between cops and kids using athletics.
This positive influence can counter the gang influence, substance abuse and potential violence that can occur in the under-serviced areas of our community.
The program focuses on serving young people who are in underserviced areas of our community. With the help of volunteers and several organizations in the area, children are able to participate in activities they may not have had the opportunity if it weren't for the
PAL program.
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Parks
Karen Ranney Wolkins, formerly executive director of the Toledo Botanical Garden, has been hired as Toledo's new parks, recreation, and forestry commissioner.
Mayor Kapszukiewicz formed a task force that will spend six months assessing Toledo’s recreational facilities and programs. Its goal is to find areas where the city and its community partners can improve when it comes to sports, pools, playgrounds, and more. The task force is part of the mayor’s “top-to-bottom” assessment of city departments, boards, commissions, and services, but it’s also in response to community feedback gathered since Mr. Kapszukiewicz was elected mayor.
Ms. Wolkins will be an important part of improving our parks system.
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We need you to nominate our city.
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Sustainability Commission
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Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and the Lucas County Commissioners held a news conference this week to announce new members of the Toledo-Lucas County
Sustainability
Commission, its policy goals for 2018, and the renewed dedication of the city to the commission.
“The recent Lake Erie Impairment announcement is progress that was only possible because of pressure applied by people like the men and women who have served on this commission,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. “Toledo is recommitted and energized to more fully support the Toledo-Lucas County Sustainability Commission.”
The new, city-appointed members are: Alex Goetz, Sonia Flunder-McNair, Jon Bossenbroek, Mike Ferner, Ignazio Messina, and Leslie Albanese.
The commission, with help from the city and county, will advocate for:
- Targeting nutrient “hot spots” in the western basin of Lake Erie, identified through the Nutrient Source Inventory.
- Farm Bill funding to be spent on more specific areas in the western basin that have the highest amounts of nutrient runoff.
- Policy solutions that ensure accountability for the largest nutrient contributors, including a transparent dialogue during the development of a total maximum daily load and other outcomes of the impairment designation.
- More accountability with more basin-wise monitoring that includes monitoring to verify nutrient reductions from funded projects.
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The city of Toledo's Neighborhoods Department is seeking comments on its draft, July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019, One-Year Action Plan that will be submitted to the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The final public hearing is
Monday, April 9,
5:30 - 6:30 p.m., in Toledo City Council Chambers, 1st floor, One Government Center
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2018 Toledo Sister Cities International Festival
The 2018 Toledo International Festival is
Saturday, April 14
, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. at the new and improved location of the SeaGate Centre in downtown Toledo. Advanced tickets are $5 and general admission is $7 at the door.
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The city will hold six public meetings on the 2018 street repaving program in each of the Toledo City Council districts. The next meetings are:
- District 1, Thursday, April 12, 6-7:30 p.m., Bethlehem Baptist Church, 1430 W. Bancroft St.
- District 4, Monday, April 16, 6-7:30 p.m., Toledo Police Patrolman's Association, 1947 Franklin Ave.
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Charity Hockey Match
Toledo Police Department Hockey Team vs. Detroit Red Wing Alumni Team
Saturday, April 21
, 7 - 9 p.m.
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Drug Take Back Day is
Saturday, April 28
, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Bring your expired or unused medicines to one of the three Toledo Police stations.
Safely dispose of medications that are commonly abused in an environmentally-friendly way.
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By The Numbers
(
year-to-date
)
33,186
potholes filled
202
water main breaks repaired
357,973
feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
516
illegal signs removed
684,313
pounds of debris removed with street sweepers.
17,405
inbound calls to Engage Toledo
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Text Alerts
Sign up for Toledo text alerts
here
.
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Mayor Kapszukiewicz and Toledo City Council President Matt Cherry were honored to donate blood Wednesday during the annual Mayor D. Michael Collins Blood Drive.
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Toledo In The News
The art of the dream — King's message reverberates in art around Toledo
The lives of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Henry Ossawa Tanner barely intersected on this earth. Known as the first internationally acclaimed African-American artist, Mr. Tanner moved to Paris in the late 19th Century to further his career without being under the thumb of oppression he encountered at home.
FCA, Jeep sales are doing great
Fiat Chrysler is reporting its best March retail sales in 17 years and the Jeep brand, in particular, had its best month of total sales ever.
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