Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
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I
announced
a zero tolerance policy for illegal dumping this week because Toledo has had enough from criminals who use our streets and alleys as a dumping ground for their junk.
I was driving through streets of the Old West End and East Toledo recently and I saw several mattresses, couches, and tires dumped in alleys and along sidewalks. We delivered a warning Thursday to those who dump their junk in our great city: anyone who thinks they can dump on Toledo should get ready to be arrested and prosecuted. If you are caught dumping, you will be in handcuffs. Toledo Police will charge dumpers with reckless dumping, which carries a mandatory, minimum 10 day sentence and a $500 fine. If you see someone dumping, please take a picture of the license plate and call Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.
Illegal dumping costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Toledo taxpayers spent $21,000
last year
to clean up illegal dumping on the 1400 block of Utah Street. The city has already spent $6,000 this year to clean up illegal dumping in the same area. We will spend nearly $40,000 this year to pay contractors to remove illegal dumping from our neighborhoods. Taxpayers will spend another $500,000 from the Nuisance Abatement Trust Fund for our "Beatification Action Team" to support community and volunteer-driven cleanup events, fund disposal fees at the landfill, and to pay haulers and processors for recycling, equipment, and labor.
Toledo Police officers are taking this very seriously and our chief has assigned 13 officers to investigate illegal dumping, authorized the use of marked and unmarked vehicles, and directed officers to appear in court for prosecution.
There are alternatives to dumping. We offer 12 different free recycling events from April to September, with vendors available to take electronic waste, paint, documents, general debris, and tires. There are four free disposal days at the Hoffman Road Landfill - hosted from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 1, July 6, Sept. 7, and Nov. 30. Residents are also permitted one free monthly bulk curbside pickup, which can be scheduled by calling 419-936-2020.
Finally this week, I want to wish everyone celebrating Passover beginning today and Easter on Sunday a very joyous time spent with friends and family.
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2019 Greater Toledo Lake Erie Clear Choices, Clean Water Campaign
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The Greater Toledo Lake Erie Clear Choices, Clean Water Campaign encourages everyone to play an active role in improving water quality in the Toledo region. The goal of the campaign is to increase community awareness of water quality issues and encourage actions that can address those issues.
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Toledo Waterways Initiative
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The Toledo Waterways Initiative International Park Storage Basin project has been awarded the recognition of
2019 Project of the Year
by the Toledo Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The International Park Storage Basin Project, which costs $28 million, includes design and construction of a 6.9 million gallon capacity combined sewer overflow storage facility, dewatering pumping station, and connecting structures. Learn more about the project at
this link
.
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Warren Henry, Toledo's recently retired water program manager, was awarded recognition as the
2019 Engineer of the Year
for the Toledo Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers..
"Warren’s contributions to the overall community through his recent efforts at the Collins Park Water Treatment Plant, and his entire career, are very deserving of such an award," said Ed Moore, Toledo's Public Utilities director.
Mr. Henry joined the city of Toledo in September 2014 as the water program manager responsible for implementing a five-year infrastructure program. Prior to joining the city, Mr. Henry was the transportation planning director for the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments from 2007 to 2014. He has also served as the commissioner of Engineering Services for the city of Toledo responsible for planning, design, and construction of the city’s transportation and utility infrastructure.
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Upon citizen approval in 2002, the city launched the Toledo Waterways Initiative to eliminate the majority of combined sewer overflows and reduce water pollution. TWI will reduce contaminants in our rivers, streams and Lake Erie by building several types of structures to hold, separate or divert storm and waste water during periods of heavy rain and funneling this water for treatment before being returned to the waterways.
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TWI is a $527 million program that will prevent 80 percent of the average overflow volume from getting into our waterways.
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Public Utilities - Monthly Billing
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Toledo City Council this week approved funding for monthly water billing.
The city currently invoices residential customers on a quarterly cycle. The goal is to begin monthly billing invoices on Jan. 1, 2020.
- Monthly billing has been requested for many years as a means to help residents budget their utility bills as they do other monthly expenses.
- Monthly billing is a requirement for customers to be eligible for some external funding relief for utility expenses through the Salvation Army.
- Online Billing has been available for several years for utility payments at this link.
- While contracts for utility services are with property owners, non-owners can check for open balances and make payments online with the Quick Pay option.
- No fees are charged for customers who set up automatic bank or credit union utility payments through the online billing application.
- The vast majority of residential customers are billed on a quarterly basis. A monthly estimate is provided on the online billing site for those who prefer to make monthly payments in advance of the quarterly billing statement. Those payments are deducted from the quarterly bill.
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The Toledo Police Department held its first abandoned and forfeited motor vehicle auction of the year last week.
The department sold 86 vehicles for a total of $151,950. The highest price car was a 2016 Charger that sold for $25,500 and the lowest was a 2002 Grand Am for $350. There were 357 bidders. They next auction will likely be in July.
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Join us at
8:30 a.m., Saturday, April 27
at LaunchPad Incubation at The University of Toledo, 1510 North Westwood Ave. for the Toledo Erie Hack 2.0 Quarterfinal Competition!
Teams will pitch their solutions to Lake Erie's greatest problems to a panel of expert judges. Those who score highest will move on to the Erie Hack 2.0 Semi-final for a chance to win Erie Hack and launch their ideas for protecting our region's valuable water resources. More at
this link
.
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The first
National Geographic Live
event, National Geographic’s touring speaker series, will take place at the Toledo Museum of Art April 27. It is the first of the three-part speaker series that will take place the Peristyle Theater throughout 2019.
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Travel with Toledo Ballet's dancing Alice as she ventures into Lewis Carroll's familiarly unfamiliar Looking Glass World
at the Valentine Theatre,
7:30 p.m., Friday, April 26, and 2 p.m., Saturday, April 27.
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On behalf of the residents of the city of Toledo, we extend a warm congratulations to
Coney Island Hot Dog
as it celebrates its 100th anniversary.
As a pillar and landmark in our community, we thank Coney Island for its continued devotion to the Toledo and for its commitment to giving back to the community by donating ten percent of its proceeds on April 17, 2019 to the American Heart Association. We look forward to having Coney Island do business in Toledo for many years to come.
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Initial study results out on Toledo-Detroit high speed rail
The initial results of a study commissioned last November on a possible high speed rail connecting Toledo and Detroit are out and researchers said the cost/benefit analysis shows the economic benefits to the region outweigh the rail’s operational costs.
City Council to monitor infant mortality reduction efforts
The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is putting a newly awarded $1.1 million in federal funding toward combating the county’s rising infant mortality rates, and Toledo City Council wants regular updates on the department’s progress.
Monthly art loop returns to downtown Toledo
Downtown Toledo’s signature arts experience is back. The Art Loop is held every third Thursday through December. An exhibit called ‘Looking In’ is now open at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.
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