Only in NT: Fire Them if They Don't Start Listening to Us!

 

We are aware of all the bragging by elected officials and Lumber City Development Corp. about how wonderful they have made Webster Street in the last five years.

What we don't read or hear about is how much of our tax money has gone into what they describe as a marvelous transformation.

Webster Street was a genuine shopping district for more decades than most elected or appointed officials have lived, serving three or four generations of residents. Webster fell on hard times over the years as shopping methods changed and the City of North Tonawanda and the merchants failed to keep up with the times. It hasn’t been a "shopping center" in at least twenty years. It’s not a “shopping center” now.

When Oliver Street was known for its many bars, it had a local clientele that respected the Oliver Street and surrounding neighborhoods. We hear many complaints about the Webster Street "bar crowd," the after-hours "bar crowd," not those coming downtown for dinner and a couple of drinks.

It is no wonder that most of the small shopkeepers don't stay open at night. The messes left behind by the disrespectful visitors to the bars downtown are left for the occupants and the employees of the shops, smaller restaurants, the small businesses. Even NT History Museum volunteers are seen cleaning up after them.  Vomit, feces, urine, used condoms, used female pads, liquor bottles, some empty but most with liquid remaining in them, as well as paper napkins, paper and plastic cups, plastic forks, etc. are left behind by the late night patrons of the new tavern row that Webster Street has been turned into.

The streets are making us a Rut City. Streets we hear about constantly are most of Oliver Street, Goundry between Oliver and Manhattan, Tremont Street from downtown to the Twin City Memorial Highway, Robinson Street between Twin City Memorial Highway and Mead, 16th Avenue between Oliver and Mid-City Plaza’s entrance, and 8th Avenue between Oliver and Ironton. These are already BAD. They are destined to get worse! And so many more need help!

So why is it that NT can afford to hire contractors who don’t do as good a job as our City workers did in the past before all the “cost cutting moves” that eliminated City workers and began the downhill spiral of streets never being properly repaired and City services to residents diminishing to the point of non-existence? Why not ask the taxpayers which they’d rather have, incomplete marinas, endless concerts we have to pay to clean up after, tax concessions to carpetbaggers, our once beautiful botanical gardens a thing of the past and now just a mediocre looking park, minimal police monitoring – or proper street resurfacing, a properly-sized police force and fire department, and no more littering.

Why is there no stop sign on Northeast Ave. where it connects at Carr with 19th? There are many senior apartments in that area and also a busy Walgreens with cars driving through the drugstore’s lot from 18th to 19th as if it were a speedway.

There was another near miss in June on 19th Ave. because there is no stop sign at the east end of the north section of Northeast at Carr.

Why is there a stop sign on the south section of Northeast where it runs into 17th  and not on the north section?

Why doesn’t the traffic safety committee come look? Do they know there are two parts to Northeast Ave.? And why didn’t the vacant lots causing the dead end in the middle ever get built on?

What is wrong with the picture when parents have to raise funds and build a school playground? Why are our school taxes so high? Why don’t the teachers have an approved contract so they can stop refusing to do the extra things they always used to do for the students?

For those who want to express their concerns or let those in office know of things that matter to NT residents, get in touch with those currently "representing" us:

Mayor Arthur G. Pappas - 695-8540 City Hall; 693-4619 Home

Common Council President P. Russell Rizzo - 693-9128

Alderman at Large Robert Pecoraro – 692-0237

Alderwoman Donna Braun - 695-8059

Alderman Eric Zadzilka - 695-9599

Alderman at Large Catherine Schwandt – 694-8465

City Clerk-Treasurer Dennis Quinn – City Clerk’s office – 695-8555; City Treasurer’s office – 695-8570

Since we’re always hearing they don't listen to residents at Council meetings and are rude to residents meeting them around town, try calling them at home. And then fire them in November if they haven’t started listening to you!