Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz |
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Earlier this week, we padlocked and boarded-up an illegal after-hours establishment at 5205 Telegraph Rd., which had been the site of a deadly shooting. Equally as important, we put all other such establishments on notice: we know where you are and we are watching you. Toledo will not tolerate such illegal operations in our community.
These are totally off-the-books; they do not have permits; they have not been inspected, and they are unlawful in every way. We are doing everything we can to make sure places like this do not exist. The full weight of the city’s operations will be used to monitor and close these illegal operations, and we are prepared to seize those properties.
I want to thank District 6 Councilmember Theresa Morris for joining me for this announcement.
We highlighted six other locations the city is monitoring: 930 Hamilton St., 3325 Elm St., 613 Magnolia St., 3413 Monroe St., 5742 Telegraph Rd., and 1034 W. Sylvania Ave. Some of these are in neighborhoods, with homes all around them, and we will not tolerate this.
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I want to thank everyone who came to the first of six public meetings we are having to solicit input on the Toledo Recovery Plan – the local program to allocate $180.9 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding.
It was a good discussion and I was pleased to hear residents talk about the need to improve youth recreation opportunities; invest in parks and neighborhoods; create more jobs and economic development; concentrate on housing, and support greater public safety. These are also among my administration priorities. We have made strides in these areas and we will continue building into the future. Toledo received half its federal allocation in May, and the other half will be received in May 2022. We intend to collect community input through August and create a spending plan in the fall to present to Toledo City Council for approval. The next meeting is at noon, Aug. 4. It is the only virtual meeting and can be accessed at this link. Information on the following meetings is posted at toledo.oh.gov/recovery.
Please don't forget to complete the survey to help us determine how best to direct the funding.
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Toledo Annual Neighborhood Beautification Contest |
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The new Toledo Annual Neighborhood Beautification Contest launched this week. We are promoting community involvement in keeping our city a beautiful place to live, work, and play. Contest details can be found at toledo.oh.gov/neighborhood-contest. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m., Aug. 30.
We want people to show their pride in their neighborhood and their home, which for most of us is the most valuable thing we will ever own. This is an opportunity to celebrate residents who really show their neighborhood pride.
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I joined members of the United Steelworkers union this week at Navarre Park for a rally calling for the continued operation of Enbridge Line 5, which carries oil, natural gas, and other vital utilities through the upper Midwest and Canada. Toledo Refining Company employs more than 300 members of the union, and it is an important employer for our city. The continued operation of Line 5 is crucial to the future of the refinery.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer revoked Enbridge's easement in November and set a May 2021 deadline for the pipeline's closure. The Ohio State House and Senate both recently passed resolutions calling for Line 5 to continue operating. I join many others in Ohio and call on Gov. Whitmer to reverse her decision.
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Finally this week, I want to highlight Monroe Street Neighborhood Center’s Bluff Street Village program for its progress, and I also want to congratulate the Franklin Park Mall on its 50th anniversary.
The Bluff Street Village, which is dedicated to helping low-income individuals own affordable, high-quality “tiny homes,” just won a $200,000 grant from a the Lowe’s initiative “100 Hometowns.”
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The program is transforming vacant lots off Bluff Street between Rosedale Avenue and Ottawa Drive, into a neighborhood of at least 20 “tiny” homes. A grassroots effort made this possible and all of Toledo should laud the program.
While I was at the Franklin Park Mall this week to help celebrate its 50th anniversary, I met Naomi Kilburn (pictured with me here), who has worked at the mall since its opening day – July 22, 1971. I want to thank the mall, all its tenants, and most-importantly, all of the valued employees like Naomi.
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A new program developed by the Toledo Streets, Bridges, and Harbor division replaced the "Mill and Fill" program.
Rather than grinding up an entire street, city crews are milling only the bad sections out, crack sealing that, and then sealing the entire street with a new machine.
The sealing provides the same look of a newly paved street from curb to curb with a significant reduction in cost for taxpayers.
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Join us for a free evening of jazz in the park. The next one will be at Friendship Park. The show starts at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 29. Bring blankets and lawn chairs.
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The Toledo Jeep Fest is set for the weekend of Aug. 6.
In 2019, more than 70,000 attendees traveled from 32 states, Washington DC, Canada, the Czech Republic and even New Zealand to take part in the dynamic weekend-long event. Due to challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 event was canceled. We’re optimistic about welcoming a broad spectrum of attendees in 2021 in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the iconic Jeep brand. Learn more at toledojeepfest.com.
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