Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
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I attended the U.S. Conference of Mayors winter meeting in Washington this week, where mayors from across the country discussed a number of important topics, including water, jobs, infrastructure, and initiatives to reduce gun violence.
I'd like to thank Steve Benjamin, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, who during an opening news conference for the meeting spoke about the partial federal government shutdown.
“We need to move beyond the political impasse,” Mayor Benjamin said. “Every day, mayors across the country put aside partisan differences and find common ground on even the most difficult of issues … It’s time for Washington to take a page out of our playbook.”
Cities are stepping up to help federal workers caught in the web of this Washington impasse. I join the chorus of bipartisan local leaders who want our federal elected leaders to end this shutdown, which is having exponentially damaging effects on people across the nation.
Also this week, I want to thank everyone for the cooperation with snow and ice removal during the storm last weekend. We are expecting more snow Monday along with extremely low temperatures. Our crews will be ready to clear streets. Please drive slowly and give our plows room to work. Take steps at home to protect your pipes from the cold by following the tips at
this link
.
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Toledo-Lucas County Health Department
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The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department’s Community Cessation Initiative provides free help to residents ready to quit smoking.
Whether it’s the first or fifth quit attempt, the program provides free support to help ensure a successful quit attempt. In Lucas County, almost 80,000 adults smoke, with nearly half reporting that they have tried to quit smoking at least once in the past year (per the 2016/2017 Lucas County Community Health Assessment).
Quitting smoking is the best thing a person can do for themselves and their family, with positive results showing quickly. The Community Cessation Initiative service is free and incentives are available. To get connected with free help, call CCI at 419-213-4558 or visit
the website
.
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The Toledo Police Department partnered with LexisNexis Risk Solutions to provide a new way for the public to stay informed about crime in Toledo. Toledo Police now have a new online crime map called
Community Crime Map
.
The Community Crime Map analyzes crime data, alerts Toledo citizens about crimes in their area, and allows the Toledo Police Department to quickly alert the public about crimes as they occur.
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Anyone can view the map and grid with all of the crimes in their area, sign up for neighborhood watch reports that automatically email a breakdown of recent crime activity, and submit an anonymous tip about a crime directly to their law enforcement agency. Community Crime Map automatically syncs with Toledo Police records systems to keep crime information updated online and in the mobile app. Community Crime Map cleans and geocodes the crime data, then displays all of the incidents on a map, grid and analytics dashboard along with some basic information about the incidents, including the type of crime, location type, block-level address, date and time.
LexisNexis Risk Solutions offers Community Crime Map and the Community Crime Map Mobile app as a free service to any law enforcement agency that wishes to participate. Community Crime Map is ad-free and LexisNexis Risk Solutions does not sell the data to third party vendors, thus the agency remains in complete control over their data.
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Matthew Boaz, chief diversity officer at Wright State University in Dayton, has been named director of Diversity and Inclusion for the city of Toledo, effective Feb. 25.
Mr. Boaz is a nationally recognized leader in diversity, inclusion, equity, and access.
“Matt has a wealth of experience and he will be responsible for working with the administration to develop strategies that ensure the city has an engaged workforce that feels valued for their work, regardless of backgrounds or physical attributes,” said Katy Crosby, Toledo’s chief of staff.
Mr. Boaz is a graduate of Bowling Green State University, where he received a B.A. in ethnic studies/interpersonal and public communication and a master’s degree in public administration.
“He has led efforts to obtain and maintain an environment of equity and equal opportunity at multiple public institutions of higher education,” Ms. Crosby said. “These efforts include serving as the Title IX coordinator, the Section 504/ADA coordinator, and the leader of equity and inclusion efforts at each of these institutions.”
Mr. Boaz also worked as a compliance officer in Baltimore and Pittsburgh for the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Contract Compliance Programs.
Mr. Boaz will be responsible for strengthening Toledo’s efforts to attract and retain a diverse workforce, ensuring city leadership is educated on local, state, and federal discrimination laws, and working with the human resources department to address questions raised in an employee engagement survey administered late last year to all employees.
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80s Night at
Ottawa Park Ice Rink
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Join us
7-10 p.m., Friday, Jan. 25
for 80s Night at Ottawa Park Ice Rink.
The night will include all of your favorite music from the 1980s. This is an all ages/family friendly event. $4 per person, $2 per skate rental. More info
here
.
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Grunge Night at Ottawa Park Ice Rink
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Join us
7-10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 1
for Grunge Night at the Ottawa Park Ice Rink. All of your favorite 90’s grunge music, minus the funky smell. Hope to see you there! More info
here
.
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Mayor Kapszukiewicz partnered with the
The Arts Commission
to bring local artists and their works to the mayor's office. These works will rotate twice a year to highlight the wide-ranging talent of local artists, the many contributions they bring to our community, and the importance of supporting creative industries in Toledo. It is curated by Nikki Eggerstorfer. Artists currently showing include David Cuatlacuatl, Mary Jane Erard, Jemma Hostetler, Natalie Lanese, Yusuf Lateef, Katie Lenhert, and Kati Kleimola.
Join us for an artist reception,
5-7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 29
on the 22nd floor of One Government Center. To enter the building, guests must have a photo ID. All bags are subject to search and no large parcels or backpacks will be permitted. Nominal parking fees will apply.
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The 9th annual Restaurant Week Toledo is an opportunity to enjoy delicious meals at special prices from over 35 of the Glass City's best locally-owned restaurants while supporting
Leadership Toledo
's tuition-free youth programs. It's simple - just dine at one of the participating restaurants during RWT and and a portion of all proceeds will be donated to our high-impact programs designed to cultivate and empower young aspiring leaders.
RWT menus are prix-fixe so you can enjoy fantastic food at a great price - however, if you prefer to order from the traditional menu you are still supporting Leadership Toledo's youth programs.
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By The Numbers
(year to date)
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993
potholes filled
8,397
tons of salt used for 2018-19 season
67,548
gallons of brine used for 2018-19 season
54,997
cubic yards of leaves collected during the 2018-19 program
30
water main breaks repaired
118,092
feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
1,140
feet of storm sewers cleaned
141
trees trimmed
541
building inspections completed
792
contractor licenses issued
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This year marks the 125
th
Anniversary of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s induction into the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Since its inception, the chamber has positively impacted our community through its work to create a flourishing business environment by connecting its members with opportunities for growth. It has a diverse history of supporting, leading, and creating opportunities of economic growth within our community. We honor the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s achievements and its dedication to our community.
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Public Education Week is celebrated throughout Ohio from Jan. 20-26 to recognize and support publicly-funded K-12 schools and educators in our state.
Traditional public school districts in Ohio serve more than 1.8 million students and employ more than 245,000 Ohioans full time. Toledo has many high-quality teaching professionals who are committed to educating our children, and who are shaping our city’s future.
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Toledo In The News
Toledo to close 2018 books with nearly $5 million more than expected
The city of Toledo is starting 2019 with more money than officials originally thought. End-of-year projections indicated the
2018 books
would close $2.4 million under budget, leaving a $3.6 million surplus for the general fund. But revised number-crunching indicates the surplus actually sits at $8.5 million, which is $4.9 million more than expected. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz announced the recalculated totals at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting.
Fire crews rescue young child from South Toledo house fire
As flames engulfed his neighbor’s house, David Besancon said he could hear one man inside shouting, “I can’t get out!” He and his boss, Bob Whitmore, who had come to pick up Mr. Besancon for work, saw the fire at about 7:10 a.m. on Thursday down the street from Mr. Besancon’s home, in the 900 block of Prouty Avenue. Mr. Besancon knew five people were likely still in the house as it burned — his neighbors and their three children — but the flames prevented he and Mr. Whitmore from reaching any of the doors or windows. They called 911, and the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department responded within minutes.
Toledo Jeep Fest returns in 2019
Jeep Fest will once again be held in Toledo during 2019. The popular event will be held during the weekend of Aug. 9 and is on track to become an annual affair here in The Glass City. This year will be made even more special by the fact that in November, Jeep unveiled the Gladiator, the latest in a long line of automobiles made right here in Toledo, designed by a Toledo native with a long family history of working at the automaker.
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