If you are a candidate for City Council in Watertown then take a look at the poll on the right sidebar. Clearly the streets, which are deplorable, in the city are the most important issue to the voters, followed by police patrols/crime prevention, sidewalks and parks.
The sum of all of this is really just quality of life issues that mean something to the voters, they want to be proud of the City they live in. So, provide good looking streets that are pleasant to drive on (versus ones that spill your coffee every 15 seconds) along with safe neighborhoods that have quality assets like sidewalks so people can enjoy their surroundings.
City residents pay considerable taxes compared to neighboring towns and all that city residents want for their taxes are a few basic amenities to make them feel good about what they pay for!
Council Candidates - this is pretty basic, talk to the voters this year about issues that are relevant to them!
"A government big enough to give you everything you want,
is big enough to take away everything you have"
Thomas Jefferson
10 comments:
This is an understatement for sure. Take a look at many of the neighborhoods, including some of those paying a higher share of the taxes...non-existent curbs, terrible roads. Then, on top of that, the city, and I would include staff and department heads, gives you reason upon reason to move out of it. There are many great reasons that we choose to live inside the city, but it becomes increasingly difficult for us to justify with each passing year.
Our infrastructure bears the brunt of the County's wear and tear, and like a cut that never heals, it gets worse, despite the band-aids.
The typical resurfacing project will last about ten years, depending on factors such as traffic counts, % of trucks, utility cuts and oxidation of the pavement. Some resurfacings will last 14 years, some only 7 or 8 (like the Coffeen Street Hill).
With 95 miles of public streets in the City of Watertown, The City must resurface about 9.5 miles a year. Recently, they have been resurfacing about a couple dozen city blocks a year, or maybe 2 miles. At that rate, you will NEVER see a preponderance of City Streets in good shape.
For this flacid paving attempt, the City has invested nearly $750,000 (in 2009 dollars) in paving and curb laying equipment, to resurface a few city blocks a year!
IN FACT, were it not for the several projects recently undertaken by NYSDoT, the major City streets would be unnavigable.
It is time for the City Council to wake up to the single biggest factor which gives Watertown a big black eye: the condition of its neighborhoods. There is little sense trying to improve one's 'curb appeal' when the curbs are in such deplorable shape.
Get a respectable recycling and resurfacing effort in place.
A larger problem is what's under the road, Sewer mains, water mains, catch basins. Simply repaving so one won't spill his coffee is a band-aid approach.
"Simply repaving so one won't spill his coffee is a band-aid approach."
That is the same old Bu!!sh!t excuse that some in the DPW Department have been dishing for years. There are NOT 95 miles of sewer or water mains that need replacing.
Yes, there are some streets that need to be rebuilt from the base up. There are MANY MORE streets that just need to be properly resurfaced.
Start giving the Taxpayers of the City something in return for their annual taxes, besides platitudes.
So how many miles of sewer and water mains need replacing?? I pointing out the out of sight mentality that exsists.
So how many miles of sewer and water mains need replacing?? I pointing out the out of sight mentality that exsists.
Amen! Many of us take great pride in our city properties and keep them maintained. Unfortunately, the City often does not keep up its end of the bargain. Another factor in play here, I fear, is that some of the higher ups in the DPW are in the "don't care" mode, either due to the stage of their career or having been in the position too long.
The "curbing issue" is odd everytime you pave a road the curbing will disappear with each layer of asphalt.
The bigger question: When does it change. These comments have been being made for some time now. Nothing much changes. Promises abound during campaigns.
And soon they'll be more promises with the 2 major parties wanting control again.
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