Posts filed under ‘city of lorain’
The weapon- City of Lorain- You decide- Trust negated
I could write every day for a year and still not cover all the dilapidated buildings and homes in Lorain.
State Auditors report of 2004 – Lorain
http://www.cityoflorain.org/cms/files/File/2004/introduction.pdf
“negative effect on the neighborhood stability and economic vitality of the city”
“By not administering its code enforcement, property maintenance and building programs, it is difficult for the city to preserve its housing stock,”
The Chronicle Telegram http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/ has written about the “state” of Lorain for many, many years and there are many reasons for the state in which we now we find ourselves years on. At least one Mayor – Craig Foltin -as reported in this article by Dan Harkins and Shawn Foucher as far back as 2005 – pointing out the “broken homes”- See the artcle by clicking on ‘ “brokehomes” here
brokehomes
Beyond that, the new housing inspectors have gotten only a lukewarm endorsement from Mayor Craig Foltin, who defeated his predecessor in 1999 in part by making an issue of what he characterized as an overly aggressive Building Department.
“We feel that if they don’t have a successful plan and aren’t self-sufficient and nice to people, then we will not continue with them,” Foltin said recently of the inspectors……..
AND FROM THE SAME ARTICLE
…….Some Council members have said the new inspectors cannot succeed without Foltin’s full support.
“They’re not going to do any pushing because Foltin is a member of the landlords association,” Councilman David Wargo, D-1st Ward, said. “Foltin won’t let them do what they have to do.”
Wargo said the inspectors would find it difficult to force property owners to fix problems because Foltin “won’t let them be tough on people.”…..
Then there was the Chief Building Inspector Desvari Debacle –
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2008/02/09/lorain-building-inspector-suspended/
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/07/lorains_chief_building_officia.html
http://www.lorainlatino.com/articles/2010/07/09/noticias/doc4c373d355f040981109132.txt
it just goes on and on and on…. another Lorain legacy –
This blog, this writer , as stated, touched upon just a few examples ( well documented) to show how today’s elected officials are frustrated and thwarted by the process and the legacy left by those “go gently ” policies of yesteryear!.
I have written about multi-property owners in Lorain- that frustration- and especially when at least two of them die suddenly – George Schneider and Lewis Strnad leaving the city with a mess of dilapidated properties , probate wills and neighborhoods being effected by the lack of upkeep.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/george-schneider-a-property-legacy-what-now/
One such ongoing issue was that of Lewis Strnad who owned approximately 30 or more properties that have been left to fall in upon themselves’ In 2010- just before his death he purchased 2937, Elyria Ave. Lorain
over the years of nothing being done this is 2937 today- 5 years after purchase- February 2015
I did contact the county as to the status of Mr. Strnad’s properties on Friday the 13th-2015:
Strnad’s units have bulk processed into the court under tax delinquency as many of the estate’s holdings are in arrears. 2937 is specifically targeted for the current demo program and a case was filed some time around 12/09/14.
Well some movement on one multi- property owners legacy at least.
AND NOW!!!!
This series started with my outrage that a sitting member of the Lorain Design Review Board in my considered opinion – threatened, coerced and tried to intimidate elected officials into interceding on behalf of her son’s property. And used her position to use the City of Lorain Building Dept to visit vindictive behavior upon a citizen of Lorain- as she had threatened in at least two emails and states this also was her 2nd request.
Kathy Dye wrote in the Subject line of her e-mail – this was DESIGN REVIEW BOARD issue
Here is the ordinance as it pertains to the Design Review Board Chapter 1185 Codified
I was very involved back in the day 1987 with the implementation of the Lorain Design review Board and once again in 2006 when Sandy Prudoff fought against having a “history” organization a Board member – Page 17
Hisotric Pres DRB
KATHY DYE EMAIL JANUARY 9TH-2015
From: Javalady53@XXXXX [mailto:Javalady53@XXXXX]
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2015 11:56 AM
To: Mason, Leon
Subject: Design review board
Getting pretty sick and tired of Loraine Ritchie running this city with her complaints. #1 if you and the mayor are going to harrass people you should look at everybody, not just a few chosen people. I can be a bigger bitch than Loraine Ritchie. I know of several things if I spill the beans will cause a huge uproar in this city as well as a large number of law suits. I was previously asked to keep my mouth shut about all of it but my patience is running thin. Just to also let you know the information I know has nothing to do with any previous city employees.#2, Loraine Ritchie has a lot of “ordinance issues” on the outside of her property, what about the inside?
#3 Loraine Ritchie keeps saying that my son did not get approval for his Kharisma sign. Well when he came before the board, before you came aboard, We gave him a conditional approval if the sign fit the sign board. Well it fit and we sent pictures to Dave Gulden as we were told. Then the uproar came and community development was dissolved and Dave damaged his files, not our fault. So I sent pictures again to Rey Carrion. Whatever happened to them I do not know. So here we still are seeing Loraine running her flapping mouth that the sign was hung illegally and that he was told to remove it. Well that is not the case and I want a letter sent for the approval now. The Building Department was notified months ago that we were still waiting for it.
#4 I understand the mayor is planning to run again. Well after I start sending out my series of letters to all the tv stations, radio stations and newspapers I don’t think it will help his campaign. The ball is now in your hands. If things don’t straighten up immediately with my son and his building the letters will begin next week.
#5 Also I have a question, why did the ex-mayor and your father back in their day refuse to take the mast from Admiral King’s boat that sank and make a memorial here in Lorain?
As most are aware, members of a government board, such as City Council, Design Review Boards etc. are protected with “qualified immunity” – not “absolute immunity” from law suits against the individual for decisions made as a body. BUT by the same token city government cannot be used as a weapon against an individual for “personal retribution”. There is a lot of legalese with this but that is the gist of it.
Kathy Dye, has made it abundantly clear in her comments on this blog – she was doing exactly that! She used position on the Lorain Design Review Board – see subject line of the offensive email) to also use threatening language to the Mayor of the City of Lorain and also to try intimidation with the Director of Building Housing and Planning
KATHY DYE WROTE
Well after I start sending out my series of letters to all the tv stations, radio stations and newspapers I don’t think it will help his campaign. The ball is now in your hands. If things don’t straighten up immediately with my son and his building the letters will begin next week.
Her emails continued, her family parked outside my house taking photos of my “ordinance issues”. Her statement to the fact on February 10th 2015 this was due to :
I started on you because you started on my son’s building and mine.
note: BOTH STRUCTURES ARE DEEMED COMMERCIAL- Dyes’ Appliances has received a number of complaints due to the “outside showroom of appliances ” behind 960 Broadway building and the obvious concerns of health and safety at 418 Broadway-
This is the same son mentioned with threatening behavior in her email ( with the Design Review Board subject line) to Leon Mason
Kathy Dye:
Well after I start sending out my series of letters to all the tv stations, radio stations and newspapers I don’t think it will help his campaign. The ball is now in your hands. If things don’t straighten up immediately with my son and his building the letters will begin next week.
The son whose building 418 Broadway found the following inspection results as per the Morning Journal article:
http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20150107/lorain-building-owner-accused-of-illegal-gas-tap
Click on to enlarge
This is not just about handbags at dawn and a neighbor vs neighbor situation
The same Kathy Dye who just two weeks ago hypocritically stood before Lorain City Council lamenting the state of building and storefronts on Broadway
Kathy Dye of Dye’s Appliance also noted on-street parking issues and lamented the empty storefronts of buildings that owners seemingly refuse to develop or sell.
My objections are this person- Kathy Dye -who is a sitting member of a city backed board- in this case the Design Review Board- used that platform to seek personal vengeance, retribution and vindictiveness using another city department in this case the Building Dept. of the City of Lorain as her weapon.
This usage of government should not be countenanced – today my downspout tomorrow your ???????!
A city department shown to be very slow and untimely in their inspection process ( see previous posts) literally responding to Mrs. Dye within 4 business days, citing a broken down spout in the mid winter in sub freezing temperatures and a garage that needs painting- whilst dozens and dozens of properties have been left in limbo for weeks months years and in some cases decades.
One has to ask the question WHY was that? .
Why would Kathy Dye get more attention than elected officials?
Does it come down to “spilling beans” You see one has to wonder just how does this process work for one and not for elected officials and something doesn’t smell right!
Secondly.
What makes Kathy Dye feel comfortable in putting her threats , as I perceive them to be, under the Design Review Board notation , in my opinion, bordering on blackmail in order to get her way?
Why would she feel comfortable doing that – has it been done before ? Is this how Lorain government works and worked?
Mrs. Dye, in my opinion, has in her position as sitting member of the Design Review Board to use that position to “punish” and the City of Lorain and especially the Lorain Building Dept has enabled that behavior.
Thirdly:Mrs. Dye has also used that position, once again in my considered opinion, to coerce, threaten and intimidate elected officials. Is this “allowed”- is this the way of city business?
Because it sure looks like it from my keyboard.
Fourth: Will this just go the way of so many things- yesterday’s news- is there no accountability for this behavior ?
And they wonder why trust in government and politicians is at an all time low in this community- same old same old?????
I did ask the City of Lorain various questions NONE of Which have been answered to date:
1.What is the general time citywide between a complaints made to the Building Dept. and the requested inspection taking place?
2. What is the average time line for the process?
3. Were any other properties inspected during the time 1127 W 4th Street and outbuildings such as garages, roofs, gutters etc. on the day 1227 W. 4th Street was inspected?
4. Were any other citations given during that time period the inspector was inspecting 1127, W 4th Street?
THE END ??????
Dye- abolical – goose /gander Inspection Process Pt. 4 – Lorain
I have covered three of the three examples of the process of Inspections, the Building Dept. and the process so far. These complaints have been filed and commented upon by serving “elected officials” not Joe Blow citizen but people whose job of work is to make their city and ward a better place.
1965 E 28th Street- Mayor Krasienko -2008-2012 documented from 2008 –
current state
1965 28th Street January 2015
3620 Clifton Ave – Councilman Eddie Edwards documented since 2012 https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/dye-abolical-goose-gander-inspection-process-pt-2-lorain/
current state
113 Hamilton Ave- Councilman Dennis Flores
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/12/dye-abolical-goose-gander-inspection-process-pt-3-lorain/
JULY-2014 found Council Person R. Lucente asking:
Jul 16, 2014
How did all the Houses and Buildings get in such poor condition? As I said
when the Point of sale issue came before Council, We did not need more tools
in our toolbox, We just needed to use the tools we already had in the box.
You might be interested to know Mr. Lucente, although I support Point of Sale – https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/07/05/the-nuisance-and-point-of-sale-ordinance-lorain/
these same thoughts were stated at a meeting of a start up of a “block watch” in 2005 ( 10 years ago) by Lorain County Prosecutors Office George Koury and previous Safety Service Director 1996-1999
– when asked about what laws could be passed because of the state of the buildings and homes in the 2nd Ward – He said:
There are ordinances already on the books – they just have to be enforced.
Note that was in the cafeteria room of the Old St. Joe’s Hospital and we know what is happening there today don’t we?
http://www.cleveland.com/avon-lake/index.ssf/2015/01/veterans_clinic_moving_from_cu.html
Ironically, at that meeting was Joe Smith who is also running for the position of 2nd Ward Councilman – 
Ward Two is and has been the dumping ground, by banks, RSO’s – poor and substandard rentals and abandoned building as well a ghost town of commerce along Broadway. 
It is a big job and so goes the 2nd ward so eventually goes the city!
Well, Councilman Lucente, this might give you an answer as this seems to be indicative of the tools in the box“
source Amazon dot com
As mentioned in part three, Mr. Flores, often ,in his emails expressed frustration and concerns as to the timely manner of response by the Building Dept. to his notifications:
One such property 1761 HAMILTON AVE.
On January 25th 2013 _ two years ago Mr. Flores wrote in an email:
“It seems to me that a lot of the work I report falls on deaf-ears…
I’m requesting that a letter be sent notifying the property owner of this nuisance, vacant building.”
Parcel Number: 02-01-006-134-008
Owner Name &
Address: MIHALICK DAVID R & JENNIFER L
6106 GLADYS AVE ELYRIA, OH 44035
Taxes owed : $4,617.23
1761 HAMILTON JANUARY 2013
Since this blog did its own inspection this week February 9th 2015 - not much has changed, as you see , at the front- the shrubbery has grown in front of the windows and the rear of the property ????? – well more than a “don spout” needed here
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/ode-to-a-downspout-named-don-lorain/
JANUARY 2015- Click on jpg to enlarge
Not much in the way of timely intervention then BUT- The Building Dept. did inspect this property- Email: dated FRIDAY THE 13TH -2015 from the Building Dept to Mr. Flores .
ONE YEAR AGO-2014
1/24/2014 Requested for rental inspection.
11 MONTHS AGO
3/8/2014 Home is in foreclosure, not rental.5/20/2014 Cited for high grass.
7/28/2014 Cited for high grass. (NOTE: high grass???? that is it??? will wonders ever cease!!!!)
I saw a note that it was cited on 3/9/2012 and it was sent to court on 3/20/2013. “NOTE” and what if any was the outcome of that ?????
Two years ago sent to court, and here we are TWO YEARS later – timely indeed- another time- another year passes
Is it any wonder why during a council meeting November 2013 discussing the housing in Lorain,Council at Large Dan Given stated:
I’m still going to spin this thing back; the way we’re doing it now is broken,” Given said. “Issuing citations to property owners now, we might as well be writing them on toilet paper.”
And yet 4 working days after the complaint by Kathy Dye the Building Dept was on the job ??? Might want to save some of that toilet paper as “it” hits the fan!!!!!
Once again to be continued……….
Dye- abolical – goose /gander Inspection Process Pt 2 – Lorain
In part one
We touched upon 1965 28th Street- where the duly elected Mayor of Lorain – Anthony Krasienko wanted the site cleaned up and or demolished – It is still there
1965 28th Street January 2015
Part Two – 3620 Clifton Avenue
this will find another elected official and the frustrations of his own. Councilman Eddie Edwards. This property 3620 Clifton AVE. has quite a history and was first written about on Bustershouse Blog : The blog was incredulous and in their post stated :
I am amazed that this house, which has been inspected and re-inspected by TPTB (and then some), was deemed worthy of a second chance. Sitting exposed to the elements for at least five years, sold for $200 to two guys who let it sit untouched for two more years (sale date January 2011) – it meant nothing to anybody until the city came knocking with the wrecking ball
see the photos of that post here
Bustershouse Blog followed up in June
https://bustershouse.wordpress.com/2013/06/16/whatever-happened-to-3620-clifton-avenue/
This blog too, after attending the Demolition Appeals Board wrote about 3620 Clifton Ave.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2014/06/22/point-of-sale-lorain-a-history-a-result/
and the “process”
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/the-cowboys-of-lorain-part-two-the-demo-men/
The frustration of Mr. Edwards was apparent that day:
In that article, it was mentioned that the owners of one of the houses on the demolition list were given a second chance to make repairs. Even though it was noted by :
Demolition Board member, 5th ward Councilman, and neighborhood resident Eddie Edwards that “Before the sale, the house sat empty for about five years, with its doors and windows open and generally falling apart…” and “The new owners also waited a year before taking action to repair it…” AND the Board went out to see this house for themselves AND took the Fire Chief with them AND talked to the unhappy neighbors – the owners have $17,000 and a plan and that was enough for the Board to grant them a second chance
A year and a few months later the flip became a flop!
So here we are 2 years after that meeting : and the dwelling today
January 2015
Conclusion : the flippers from Elyria , exactly 4 years ago, purchased a property without Point of Sale which so upset the Lorain County Board of Realtors.
http://www.morningjournal.com/general-news/20130618/lorain-council-to-discuss-point-of-sale-nuisances-in-committee
and is still upsetting them , even if they aren’t quite accurate in their statements to the press
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2015/02/09/realtor-groups-head-disputes-lorain-sales-stats/
another nearly a decade on 3620 Clifton Avenue 5 years abandoned – 4 years in the INSPECTION PROCESS- 9 YEARS BY MY CALCULATIONS – the Flippers
Joseph Barbee and Nathaniel Johnson of Elyria also never paid the taxes roughly $218.00 per year and the tax bill as of today $1,088.48
( another worrying concern as delinquent taxes in the county according to the Lorain County Auditor when I spoke to him last week was in the amount of 34 million!
I emailed the city with regards to this property as to its status and it has been confirmed by Leon Mason (also a target of the Kathy (Cathy) Dye original email which I found extremely worrying and offensive from one who is a longtime member of the Lorain Design review Board.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/city-officials-caught-between-a-ritchey-and-a-dye-place/
Leon Mason – Director of Building, Housing and Planning
3620 Clifton, it was forwarded to the County Land Bank to begin the foreclosure process. As you may or may not know, the process for demo has changed since the original program, and the county must take possession of the properties.
Ironically this house was a forfeiture from the State of Ohio in the first place hmmmmm wonder if there had been a POS in place back then?
Well this process is still a work in progress on this one but I am still of the opinion it hasn’t worked!
Up next another “inspection in the hinterland”to be continued
Dye- abolical – goose and the gander- Inspection Process – Lorain
I have written so much about the lack of timely inspections in Lorain – I am well and truly fed up to the teeth with it. However , as you can see ,not all such inspections take weeks, or bloody years! some ( mine for instance) took 4 days
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/the-dyenamics-of-inspections-time-lines-lorain/
So what was the difference ?
1. Could it be that the inspection process is geared to those that WILL take care of any citations quickly in order for the stats to show the “process is working”?
2. Could it be the inspections are based on just who is making the complaints?
Alright hands up I am very cynical and forgive me if there is a conspiracy theory going on in this post- is there selective enforcement??? YOU decide if I am way off base here !
I have picked three “example” situations , two of which have been fodder on this blog and others for years and one I was directly a part of the email chain.
I could go tit for tat all around Lorain and show hundreds of violations worse than my ” Don Spout” and needing paint garage, which haven’t been addressed in years but the three should suffice to document my displeasure and questioning of the process.
No.1 The legacy of George Schneider.
George, has now passed, but the legacy lives on- it is a pity more was not done before his properties ballooned for 34 to 300. Lorain now has a mess on its hands, worse than ever.
October- 2008 1965 28th Street
October 2008 -
Then Morning Journal:
NOTE-this article no longer archived on line
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2008/10/02/news/doc48e43ce33eaae305070782.txt
A Lorain property owner will have some more time to work on a dilapidated building on East 28th Street.
George Schneider, owner of the former Jay Metals building, 1965 E. 28th St., was supposed to be sentenced yesterday for a property maintenance code violation and to monitor the progress of repairs, according to Lorain Municipal Court records. His case was continued to Oct. 31, said Judge Mark Mihok……….
NOW by the time we revisit in 2012
It seems
Schneider pleaded no contest to the violation and was sentenced to the maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine and 180 days in jail.
BUT according to the judge- Mark Mihok
“The building department representative indicated that demolition has begun, but there is some asbestos that was found,” Mihok said yesterday. The state now has to determine if they’re going to do an asbestos study, he added.“We should have a final disposition from the state and hopefully some more progress on the demolition,”
The former Jay Metals building is on the list of 12 properties that Mayor Anthony Krasienko (2008-2012) wants demolished as soon as possible.
And I asked You be the judge- 2 years ago:
Fast forward September 2012 / 2013
Two years ago Jan 2013
Oh there was much ado about NOTHING happening here at 1965- and Now January 2015 – 7 YEARS!!!!!! after that first blog post and we have
1965 28th Street January 2015
I will probably be dead myself before the inspection process is “complied with” on this property and this gateway eyesore is nothing but a brownfield…… In my humble opinion the process DID NOT work on this one-
Next up No. 2 …….
The DYEnamics of Inspections – Time lines – Lorain
Long time readers of this blog will see the exploration of what works and doesn’t work in the “inspections” of older properties.And I was not alone ! There is a “history” from Mark Teleha’s Lorain County Photographer Blog
Dear Madam Housing Inspector ( the grief wrongly given ) 2008 – it does happen
http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=269
There are even more that I’ve done that still HAVEN’T been addressed. Some that are so horrible, that I can’t imagine why they haven’t been cited yet. How do I know? Because there hasn’t been a damn thing done to any of them since I first saw them.
If what I’m doing is something that you have to complain about, then maybe you’re not doing enough.
My series on the Building Dept.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/the-cowboys-of-lorain-no-more-shooting-blanks-part-7/
Due to the recent, very quick response by the Building Dept. inspecting my property due to a complaint made by a sitting member of the Lorain Design Review Board Mrs. Kathy( Cathy) Dye
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/ode-to-a-downspout-named-don-lorain/
I decided to see how this “particular inspection” process worked so well and yet our council people have had issues over the years getting the “process” going .
Mrs. Dye of the Lorain Design Review Board took issue with my property and her course of action she stated in
JUNE 2013
“ WHILE YOU TAKE THIS RUN DOWN BROADWAY I’M GOING TO ALL OF YOUR HOMES.
“https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2013/06/25/on-broadway-downtown-the-44052/
Now I am sure it was just a coincidence the city conducted block inspections that summer. – well maybe- now I am not so sure ;) However, I am pleased to say those on this block who received citations followed up and the block looks so much better. For the record we received no such citations in 2013. That apparently was not good enough for Mrs. Dye .
In her “dye a tribe” against me personally after threatening ( in my opinion) the Mayor ( Ritenauer) and the Director of Building Housing and Planning,( Leon Mason) she started out to prove she was a bigger bitch than I. Oh dear didn’t know it was a contest !
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/01/10/city-officials-caught-between-a-ritchey-and-a-dye-place/
ON JANUARY 9th 2015 at 11:56 Kathy Dye – Design Review Board member wrote
…. I can be a bigger bitch than Loraine Ritchie. I know of several things if I spill the beans will cause a huge uproar in this city as well as a large number of law suits.
I was previously asked to keep my mouth shut about all of it but my patience is running thin. Just to also let you know the information I know has nothing to do with any previous city employees……
…..#2, Loraine Ritchie has a lot of “ordinance issues” on the outside of her property, what about the inside?
#4 I understand the mayor is planning to run again. Well after I start sending out my series of letters to all the tv stations, radio stations and newspapers I don’t think it will help his campaign. The ball is now in your hands. If things don’t straighten up immediately with my son and his building the letters will begin next week.
Once again I was mentioned in her email to the Design Review Board on January 13th 2015. Seems I was still on her mind and she had followed through
January 11th 2015 approximately 1:30 in the afternoon on a Sunday
The Dye tribe were outside my home taking photos of my home and also back in the alley . looking I suppose for my “ordinance issues- not found in 2013 apparently – time for a Dye re-inspection-
Now Kathy, was apparently very upset with Mr. Klinar the Chief Building Inspector and wrote in an email Wednesday January 14th 2015 at 1:19 ( three days after her photo inspection)
NOTE: I had put in a public records request and answers to some questions which will be in the next post . So far I have just received the citation (sent by Klinar) and this email.
Looking at this email it is the “second call” Mrs. Dye made on my property- did not Mr. Klinar jump quick enough after her first call? Because also, according to this email ,my overgrown growth is a real hazard to the rodent population:
Oh NO!!! first a downspout named Don dangling and discharging on the ground in sub freezing weather and now the rats are in peril!
Obviously, having some degree of intelligence I realize what Kathy was trying ,in her way, to say – and for the sake of those reading my garage does not require downspouts- a fact well-known to those inspecting older garages.
However ,it seems Mr. Klinar after this admonishment from Kathy Dye of the Design Review Board, got right on that request as 4 working days later he was out and about with his clip board – snow not holding him back- and we duly received the lone downspout citation and the garage needing to be painted in the spring. As an aside his vehicle that day , as we had been having issues with people doing nefarious things in the alley, was noted as a suspicious vehicle .hmmmmm
The issue here is the time lines and who gets what inspected in a timely manner. The next post will address the power of Dye as opposed to those council people who are still waiting and have been for months and years for inspections and out come of those inspections ……. TO BE CONTINUED
Ode to a Downspout named Don- Lorain
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/01/29/retribution-dye-a-tribed-the-process/
Ode to a Disconnected Downspout named DON
Your very existence was officially heralded on a bleak January day
Detachment was noticed and engage you we must- or a price we would pay
To leave your condition unchanged meant more than a citation
Due to your condition so brazen – fix ” Don” come hell or creation
Through snow drifts and ice we went to inspect our wanton neglect
Your illegal status we wouldn’t be allowed to forget
A week on the Friday was the date we were given
Through fair winds or foul we would be striven
The date just a week hence to put right our shame
We made the calls to men who were handy in name
Our pleas to come quickly – all came to nowt
“Are you insane?” “In this weather to connect a downspout”
It is true at 13 degrees no water was hitting the ground –
just the pond water falls- heated to run- making a sound
The tarps of blue flapping merrily away
marked the time passing – a loss of a day
Winter winds forecast to howl – the ground covered in ice and snow
Two intrepid fellows plunged through the bracken and ice- it was a go
They hoisted the drill and attached the offending gutter
Whilst women watching – waited indoors – hearts all a flutter
Until success was at last to be found
no more Don discharging himself on the ground !!!!!!
We can go to bed tonight and turn the light out
Don is connected once more – a righteous downspout
I can think of nothing much finer
than pleasing Inspector Klinar !!!!
to be continued……
Dye- abolical – goose /gander Inspection Process Pt 3 – Lorain
I have covered 2 of the three examples of the process of Inspections, the Building Dept. and the process so far. These two have been documented to death on this blog and others over the years and whose main complainants have been elected officials.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/dye-abolical-goose-and-the-gander-inspection-process-lorain/
current state
1965 28th Street January 2015
current state
Part Three : 2nd Ward Councilman Dennis Flores
Mr. Flores is one of the more active and reachable council people .
His 2nd ward also happens to cover a great deal of the oldest housing and building stock in Lorain. He has been tireless over the years he has held office in reporting problem buildings, housing in his ward. I know this because, for the most part, when the issues are in this – Lorain’s oldest neighborhood- I get copied on the emails.
There are hundreds over the years – I lost count . Mr. Flores usually attached photos. Below are just two screen shots of the dozens and dozens submitted to the Building Dept.
There is an ongoing tone of frustration in his emails as he has repeatedly asked for follow-up status on his complaints. I know “some” have gone through the process. What the status and success of out come of those and the length of time in the system I cannot document at the moment. I have asked the city administration for some answers- none forthcoming as of today. However, I can comment on at least one of the properties, as I was party to the email conversation at the time
113 Hamilton- In September (22nd- 2014) Mr. Flores wrote (edited)
The reason I have picked this one is it is an historically significant home. Charleston Village had also received many enquiries / complaints. Since the owner is elderly, has some disability and the home receives some tourist traffic, we tried to help.
2010 Home picture ( Dan Brady http://danielebrady.blogspot.com
We had cleaned and painted for the owner in October 2011
Home pictured October 2011 after clean -up
However, over the ensuring months, more issues developed – including an unhappy neighbor, who was turned down for rehab loan on their property due to the condition of this property. I said as much in a return email to those to whom Mr. Flores sent the complaint.
I asked Mr. Flores last week to check and see if there had been a recent inspection report on this property and or follow-up and any paperwork since obviously the timely inspection of my property – 4 working days – seemed to set a bar.
Mr. Flores, double checked personally. There had been some paperwork before his complaint in September ( a building permit for the ramp) a citation in 2010 before we ( the volunteers of Charleston Village) cleaned up the property but it seems Mr. Flores complaint of September 22nd 2014 did not meet with the “speedy” response as did 1127, 4th Street. There wasn’t any paperwork forthcoming showing a follow-up from the Building Dept. officials
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/the-dyenamics-of-inspections-time-lines-lorain/
WHY??????? should not Mr. Flores’ ( an elected official) complaints be met with the same speedy response as Design Review Board member Kathy Dye?
to be continued …………
February 12, 2015 at 3:24 pm 7 comments