Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
I want the thank everyone who attended my first
state of the city address
Thursday night at the historic Ohio Theatre. I shared some good news and I hope it set the tone for a bright future.
I challenged Ohio's leaders to fund the needs of cities like Toledo, which has lost $100 million of funding in about a decade because of changes made on the state level.
I wish state government was merely indifferent to the plight of cities like Toledo.
I called for greater protections for Lake Erie and the Maumee River to prevent harmful algal blooms. I urged all of Ohio’s gubernatorial candidates to join Toledo’s efforts to protect Lake Erie and the Maumee River.
We want agriculture to do more to protect our most valuable resource, water. We will be pushing for that on a state and federal level. Agriculture contributes to this problem and it needs to contribute to the solution. Twenty-five years from now, history will judge us on how we cared for the Great Lakes. Our city will be judged on the right side of this question.
Among the things I talked about Thursday was a new “Innovation Partnership” with the University of Toledo, which will work to create better assessments of street conditions. This partnership will have more goals that will be laid out soon.
A new bike share program will soon take shape in Toledo. Other successful cities have used bike share programs as a supplement to transportation. The city has signed a letter of support with Metroparks Toledo for it to acquire 100 bicycles and 20 stations with the help of a $256,000 grant. Metroparks will buy and install these bikes downtown and in adjacent neighborhoods. Once the bicycles and stations are installed, the city will maintain the program.
Talks have begun with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on turning Grassy Island into a park.
We also plan to present to Toledo City Council with the final piece of the Manhattan Marsh Project in March. This conserved area will be a place to visit, study, float, and walk. This part of Toledo has long been ignored, but now it will be revitalized because of partnerships and collaborations with the federal government, the Lucas County Land Bank, the state of Ohio, and the city’s economic development partners, including the Port Authority and the Regional Growth Partnership.
The Nautical Mile Project is proceeding. The project will improve the stretch between the Anthony Wayne Bridge and the Veterans' Glass City Skyway Bridge. It will become a walkable, art-infused, user-friendly pathway on both sides of the Maumee River.
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Fire and Rescue
Mayor Kapszukiewicz was invited to dinner Friday night at Fire Station 5. Like all Toledo firefighters, the men and women at 5s station are amazing people who risk their lives every day. The
video below
shows a day in the life of the firefighters on C-shift at this station, 1 North Ontario St.
Also this week, the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department presented the Community Paramedic Program to Toledo City Council. The six-month pilot program is a partnership between department and Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. It will cut down on unnecessary trips to the emergency room and save money. The program aims to serve Toledoans who call 911 for non-emergency medical situations by providing medical treatment in their homes rather than transporting them to an emergency room. Assistant Fire Chief Karen Marquardt said it would begin with a six-month trial period and likely expand.
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Information, Communication, and Technology
The city's Information, Communication, and Technology did its first telecomm review of the year and found some great savings.
Eighty-one cell phones have been suspended. That's an annual savings of $25,288.
It also cut three ATT Analog Circuits that were obsolete. That slashed another $81,984 out of the city's budget.
The department is continuing its audit to identify other telecomm areas where new technology is available. The department plans to eliminate older technology and save money without losing functionality.
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Engineering Services
City of Toledo Engineering Services employees in One Lake Erie Center downtown will move to the ground floor of that building so the Eyde Company can more-easily renovate the building into residential units.
The Eyde Co.
also owns the 28-story Tower on the Maumee. The downtown skyscraper, formerly called the Fiberglas Tower, will be refurbished into luxury apartments.
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The FREE 2018 Ottawa Park Concert Series dates have been set so mark your calendars.
The dates are:
July 14
– The Good, The Bad & The Blues
July 21
– Madison Avenue
July 28
– East River Drive
August 4
– Nu-Tones
August 11
– Not Fast Enuff
August 18
– Boffo
The historic amphitheater in Ottawa Park was WPA constructed in 1935-1936. It is located on a sloping piece of ground surrounded by trees in a bird sanctuary section of the park. Over the years the seating area has been rebuilt, a handicap accessible ramp added, a stage with backdrops, electricity, and a storage facility. It holds about 750 people.
Since it opened the amphitheater has been used for church services, Broadway productions, Shakespeare plays, magic shows, and lots of live music. Free summer concerts have been held since at least 1963. The amphitheater can be rented for private activities. For information and fees, contact the Toledo Division of Parks, Recreation and Forestry at 419-936-3887.
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Public Utilities
Sewer and Drainage Services employees this week placed portable pumps in areas prone to flooding.
Pump were placed on Middlesex Drive and in Bennett Park. The pump at Middlesex and Ilger is used to reduce the flooding along Middlesex during heavy rainfalls when the enclosed section of Peterson Ditch has reached its capacity. The pump transfers the storm water to the open section of the ditch. The pump in Bennett Park is used to help drain the intersection of Burnham and Poinsetta. That intersection drains into Shantee Creek, which runs along the north edge of Bennett park.
There was also a bypass pump for the sanitary sewer on Ashland Avenue until a repair on that line is completed.
Help prevent flooding by keeping storm grates clear of leaves and debris.
The
Basement Flooding Grant Program
assists property owners with the purchase and installation of corrective measures to prevent basement flooding caused by sewer backups from overloaded city sanitary sewers.
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By The Numbers
(
year-to-date
)
13,374
potholes filled
172,556
feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
164
water main breaks repaired
237
illegal signs removed
41,374
tons of road salt used
1,948
contractor licenses issued
1,480
inspections completed
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Engage Toledo
How can we help you? The Engage Toledo app lets you to make service requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. We are committed to customer service.
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Text Alerts
Sign up for Toledo text alerts
here.
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State of the City
Mayor Kapszukiewicz's state of speech highlighted the city's accomplishes and goals.
Toledo program will cut down on unnecessary trips to the ER and save money
The Toledo Fire & Rescue Department responds to tens of thousands of calls for medical service every year. Some of the callers don't need to go to the emergency room for treatment, so there's a new partnership between the department and Mercy Health to get the people the right help and save money.
City leaders responding to Anthony Wayne Trail pothole problem
Drivers are not happy with the number of potholes on the Anthony Wayne trail. The Commissioner of Streets Bridges and Harbor for the City of Toledo, Jeremy Mikolajczyk, said weather is making their job difficult. It has been cold, warm, and raining, making the cold patches they're using, not last long.
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