Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
I want to start this week by wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for as a city and personally, I am grateful for my wonderful family and the wonderful city I have had the honor of leading the past 23 months.

I am also thankful for the work my team has accomplished in the nearly two years since I became mayor. We still have much work to do in a number of areas, but we have also made great strides.

The progress Toledo has made is real. We completed a historic regional water agreement with our suburbs, we are adding police officers to TPD for the first time in more than a decade, and we have been ranked third in the country for mid-sized cities for economic development. But, I know there is so much more we can do together if we believe in ourselves enough to invest in our city.
Speaking of job growth and innovations, I was thrilled this week to participate in the groundbreaking of a new, three-megawatt solar array project on two parts of the former Jeep plant site, which is now called the Overland Industrial Park.
I was there with members of Toledo City Council, officials from the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, and Dana Corp., to celebrate the phenomenal public-private development.

This initiative promotes the use of clean energy, helps a local Fortune 500 company become more efficient and productive, and frees up resources for badly needed investments in the adjacent OWENI neighborhood . Truly, this is the sort of creative thinking that will move our community forward.
Renewable energy projects are at the forefront of cutting-edge solutions that meet multiple economic and environmental concerns. Efforts like this -- involving numerous partners with significant ties to the community -- demonstrate how success can be achieved through broad-based collaboration. This project represents both advanced technology and unique community participation and is a showcase for American-made products.

This is game-changing for our community and we are proud to be a small part of it.
Lead Grant Applications Streamlined
The city of Toledo has streamlined lead grant applications for owner occupied and rental lead abatement grant assistance. The new applications are now nine pages for landlords and five pages for owner occupied applications – both down from 17 pages previously.
“We continue to streamline the lead grant application process and we want the public to know about the availability of lead abatement grant funds,” said Rosalyn B. Clemens, commissioner of housing for the city’s Department of Neighborhood and Business Development.
The Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program, provided by the city, is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes. It provides financial assistance to help control lead paint hazards in residential units located in the city of Toledo. Assistance is provided to qualified homeowners and landlords in the form of a grant, with highest priority given to units occupied by lead-poisoned children under the age of six or at least one pregnant female past her first trimester.
“The grant allows us to conduct lead hazard control and healthy homes work in residential units located within the city of Toledo,” Ms. Clemens said. “The funds are used to identify lead hazards in eligible units, the remediation of those hazards through appropriate control or abatement procedures, and other activities such as training and outreach. Financial assistance can include, but is not limited to paint stabilization, replacement windows, doors, and siding.”
The applications can be found at the following links:
2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Day Essay Contest
Essay Prompt: What does equality mean to you?
  • Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a renowned civil rights leader who fought for equality, and he stood up for marginalized communities whose voices were silenced. Think about what equality means to you, your community, and those who may be of a different background from yourself. Write a two page, double spaced essay explaining what equality means to you, and how equality is able to impact our society.
  • Please be sure to use a quote of Dr. King’s and proper citation if drawing from other sources.
How to submit your essay:
  • All essays are to be submitted to mayor@toledo.oh.gov by 5 p.m., Monday, Jan. 6.
  • Emails should include name of contestant, email address, grade, and school.
  • Please label the subject of the email as “2020 MLK Day Essay Contest."
  • Entries must be prose; no poetry.
  • Essays must be typed; Times New Roman Font, size 12, double spaced, 1-2 pages.
  • Name, email, grade, and school must be on the top left hand corner of each page.
  • Only one essay per student will be accepted.
  • Essay must be an original work. Any essay that is plagiarized will be disqualified.
  • Entries after the deadline will not be considered in the competition.
Who can apply?
  • All Toledo high school students, grades 9-12, are invited to enter this contest. One submission per student will be accepted.
How winners are selected?
  • Originality, content, creativity, grammatical structure, and relevance to the prompt.
  • Each grade will have one winner.
Scholarship Awards:
  • Contest winners will be invited to two recognition ceremonies at the 2020 Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Celebration.
Scholarships:
  • First Prize: $1,000 scholarship
  • Second Prize: $750 scholarship
  • Third Prize: $500 scholarship
  • Fourth Prize: $250 scholarship
2019 Leaf Collection Program
Access the interactive leaf collection map at  this link .

Sign up for leaf collection text alerts at this link .

Leaf collection in East Toledo will begin Monday, Nov. 25 and run through Wednesday. Nov. 27. All of East Toledo – the 43605 zip code – will be collected during the three-day period. There will not be a second collection in the area.

Residen ts and business owners are asked to rake leaves to the curb on the side of the street with even address numbers. They are also asked to park vehicles only on the side of the street with odd address numbers during the three-day period.

Leaf collection will also occur next week in zip codes 43604 and 43611 in the following areas

  • Bancroft St. on the north, Cherry St. on the east, Nebraska Ave. on the south, Ewing St. on the west.
  • Champlain St. on the north, Ash St. on the west, Water St. on the south, and Cherry St. on the west.
  • North City Limits, Lake Erie to the west, 101st St. on the south, Summit St. on the west.
  • Ottawa River Rd. on the north, Summit St on the east, Manhattan Blvd. on the south, I-75 on the west.
  • Manhattan Blvd. on the north, Maumee River on the east, Ash St. on the South, I-280 on the west.

City crews will leave a tag at the homes where parked vehicles prevented the collection of leaves. It will include information on what to do with leaves that are left behind under vehicles. If residents or business owners miss the collection, they should not place leaves in the street. At that point, the options are:
  • Compost the leaves.
  • Take the leaves to one of four transfer locations that will be available for free disposal. They are at Bowman Park, Detwiler Park, Ravine Park, and the ODOT facility at Detroit and Glendale avenues. The sites are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
  • Dispose of leaves in your gray trash container.
Mark Your Calendars
Wednesdays with Wade
The next “ Wednesdays with Wade ” is 4:30 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 4 at the Washington Branch Library, 5560 Harvest Lane.

Residents and business owners are encouraged to ask questions on any topic, meet neighbors, and learn about city projects. The meetings are held at different library branches throughout the city on the first Wednesday of the month.

The city of Toledo supports the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Joan Easler, ADA coordinator, at 419-245-1059.
The 9th Annual Battle of the Badges
The 9th Annual Battle of the Badges Police vs. Fire Walleye Hockey Game will be played at 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Huntington Center.

Tickets are $19 each. Admission to the Toledo Walleye hockey game, against the Cincinnati Cyclones is included in the ticket price. A portion of each ticket sold will benefit the Toledo Police Foundation and Toledo Firefighters Local 92 charities. The game’s theme is the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Bring a teddy bear to toss on the Huntington Center’s ice for charity, after the Walleye score their first goal! All teddy bears thrown on the ice will be donated to local charities.

For tickets, call the Toledo Walleye Box Office at 419-725-9255, or order on-line at www.ToledoWalleye.com/policevsfire and enter promo code “TPD” or “TFD” for tickets.
Holiday Tree Lighting
The 2019 City of Toledo Holiday Tree Lighting Event will be 3-7 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 15 at the Ottawa Park Ice Rink. The event is free and open to the public. The activities include:
  • Food Trucks, 3-7 p.m.
  • Horse Carriage Rides, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
  • Open Skate, 3 - 7 p.m.
  • Ice Carving Demonstration, 3 – 5 p.m.
  • Tree Lighting, 6:05 p.m.
More information can be found at this link .

The city of Toledo supports the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact Joan Easler, ADA coordinator, at 419-245-1059.
By The Numbers
(year to date)
162,564 potholes filled
3,634,617   pounds of debris cleared from streets with street sweepers *
6,177,911  pounds of debris cleared from alleys *
238 water main breaks repaired
1,743,160  feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
46,243  feet of storm sewers cleaned
2,301 illegal signs removed
1,334 trees trimmed
8,925 building inspections
2,167 contractor licences
47,892 EMS runs
5,951 fire runs
28,898 cubic yards of leaves collected

* Final numbers for 2019. The city will resume street sweeping and alley cleaning in the spring.
The city of Toledo officially renamed Superior Park, 1221 North Superior St., on Nov. 16 in honor of Paul William Alexander, the founder of the service organization Y’s Men International , which is based in Switzerland.

Dozens of members of the organization traveled to Toledo from across the globe for the dedication.

Toledo City Council unanimously voted on Sept. 17, 2019 to rename the park Paul William Alexander Park. Superior Park was selected because of its proximity to where Mr. Alexander was raised. Mr. Alexander was born in Toledo in 1888 and graduated from Harvard Law School in 1913. He returned to Toledo to establish a law practice. In 1922, he was elected the first president of the newly established Y’s Men International.

Founded in Toledo in 1922 to support a local YMCA, Y’s Men International is now oriented to serving the worldwide YMCA, the largest non-governmental youth organization.
Support Local Charities
The Human Relations Commission, in partnership with mayor’s office staff, has pulled together a list of available opportunities for people in need this holiday season, as well as opportunities to volunteer or donate.

Toledo In The News
New housing commissioner simplifies lead program process The new housing commissioner for Toledo, Rosalyn Clemens, has made applying for lead abatement grants in the city easier. Ms. Clemens has shortened the applications in the hopes it will motivate more people to make sure their housing is safe.

Renovation work at long-vacant Toledo landmark is well underway After sitting empty for decades, renovation work on the Pythian Castle is well underway.

Arts Commission adds to Toledo art installations The Arts Commission of Greater Toledo has added to Toledo’s permanent public art collection a sculpture that had been commissioned this year for its annual art and music festival.
The city of Toledo Department of Neighborhood and Business Development hosted its 22nd annual homeless luncheon Thursday. Each year, roughly 500 Thanksgiving-style meals are served by volunteers who work for the city. A mobile health clinic and wellness providers were also available to offer free screenings and referrals.
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