2014-01-13 Reg - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

stated that she had also been told that one of the issues related to snow removal is that cars line both sides of the street making it difficult to plow. However her mantra has always been that people should park their cars in the driveway and not on the streets. Ms. Borg suggested adding one dollar to the refuse bill to bring in additional income that could be used as a slush fund during the years where snow removal exceeds the City’s normal expenditures. Ms. Borg stated that her use of a cane today is the result of falling on the Sweet Gum balls in her driveway. She stated that while the tree sits on her neighbor’s property the branches overhang her driveway and has caused her, as well as her visitors to trip on numerous occasions. Ms. Borg stated that the tree, which belongs to the City, is a hazard, a menace, and therefore she is requesting that it be removed. Charlene Marks, 831 Westgate Avenue Ms. Marks stated that she would like to see the word handicap stricken from the UCity ordinances and replaced with the word disabled. She stated that the word handicap is a derogatory term to the disabled community that goes back to the days when the disabled were allowed to beg on the street corners with their cap in-hand - handicap. Ms. Marks stated that her second issue is the fact that the City does not have an ordinance requiring the removal of snow from apartments that house the disabled. Therefore every time it snows her management company feels no obligation to remove the snow from the ramps that allow for a safe escape from the building. Ms. Marks asked that such an ordinance be established, to include a fine for noncompliance, so that landlords would be motivated to meet their obligations. Ms. Marks stated that she had been a speaker at the Human Relations Commission meeting in order to address the wording on their website. She stated that although it is in their Charter, the website does not include language pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity. Ms. Marks stated that City Manager Walker had also been in attendance and during a conversation with him she mentioned the fact that she was trans and all of a sudden their conversation stopped and Mr. Walker walked away. She stated that following that incident she called Mr. Walker’s office to ask for help and she has yet to receive a return phone call. Ms. Marks stated it is her belief that some form of discrimination was involved in these actions due to the fact that she is transgender. COUNCIL COMMENTS Ms. Carr stated that one of the things that she noticed in fielding many of the phone calls and emails that she received is that the City does not have a policy for the removal of snow on sidewalks. She stated that someone had also forwarded the ordinances from Clayton, Richmond Heights and the City of St. Louis which address this issue. She stated that she believes that it would make sense for the City to address this issue in order to ensure that our children are not standing in the middle of the street and that those who are disabled have the necessary access. Ms. Carr stated that her hope is that the City institutes an ordinance for the removal of snow on sidewalks in the very near future. Mayor Welsch asked Ms. Carr if she had shared the ordinances with the City Manager. Ms. Carr stated that she would be happy to do so. L. COUNCIL REPORTS/BUSINESS 1. Boards and Commission appointments needed Mayor Welsch read the appointments and reappointments needed. 2. Council liaison reports on Boards and Commissions 3. Boards, Commissions and Task Force minutes Mr. Kraft stated that recently he attended the Urban Forestry meeting and while one would think that there would not be anything going on at this meeting in January, he believed that 5