COMMENTS TO CITY COUNCIL

This past week I appeared before the august body of Lakewood Politics to ask about street and sewer rehabilitation.

As I have stated in a previous post my street was not evaluated by the City Engineer. I think that is at least a bit unfair so I made up my mind to get the City to do at least that much. I also wanted to find out if the City was going conduct the Sewer rehab work or was it going to have to be done by the residents on Maple Cliff.

Here are my comments:



JANUARY 17, 2006

In December 2005, the City Engineer provided a report on rating of the streets, however after reviewing the spreadsheet, I noticed that my street of Maple Cliff was not rated due to its listing as a Private street.

Upon further review this list identifies 14 streets as Private, including Maple Cliff.

9 in Ward 1, Mr. Butler

Beach Road (Lake Road to Clifton Lagoon)
Captain’s Cove
Clifton Lagoon
Clifton Park Lane
Kenneth Lane
Maple Cliff
McClure Dr. (Edwards Ave)
North Clifton Dr
Webb Cliff


3 in Ward 3, Mr. Chairman (Seelie)

Edgewater Lane
Estill Drive
Roy Drive

2 in Ward 4, Ms. Madigan

Beach Parkway
North Lane

Not all the streets are highly populated, nor are they in high traffic areas;

What concerns me is that this information is a determination of what streets will be rebuilt and that those 14 streets will never be rebuilt and that the residents or homeowners on those streets will have to incur the added cost of doing the work themselves.

I ask that the Administration and Council request that the 14 streets listed as Private be evaluated by the City Engineer and be included in all future ratings.

As the City is currently asking all homeowners to share in the burden of increased water and sewer rates and for some individuals the possibility of increased income taxes to cover the cost of infrastructure repairs, I would ask that we all share in the benefits as well.

With respect to my street, Maple Cliff we do not restrict the public access to our street or to the park area at the north end of the street. Any rehabilitation will enhance our street, but will also be an asset to the City, since during the warmer climate we do get a higher number of vehicles and pedestrian traffic to view the Lake.

IF the City does not intend to conduct the rehabilitation work on those streets I think it is necessary to for the City to inform the owners and/or the appropriate Homeowners Associations so that necessary measures can be taken by those affected by this decision.


Mr. Seelie, In your Committee of the Whole Report you indicate that the water is a “bargain” well, if I am having to pay the increase rates, but not get the infrastructure work done on my street, then that is not much of a bargain to me.


After the meeting I received several favorable responses from some of the Council members and the Mayor to at least getting the street evaluated.

We will see how that goes.