A quick update: I spoke to Streets Dept., Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams. I am waiting for a return call from him after he investigates. I will continue to follow-up with Mayor Nutter's staff. There is little to report beyond this one point.
This is new information for you and will be provided to the Mayor's Action Center. Mr. Williams blames the Department of Administrative Adjudication for the four to five month time period from the date of the "premises" violation until you receive it in the mail. He claims this separate department maintains that this is done in one week. He wanted me to know that it's not his issue. But he also continues to maintain that his enforcement officers are properly trained and place tickets in our mailboxes when it is accessible. Forget for the moment; the continued difference between the stated Streets policies and what we experience. Think of this. Williams is Deputy Commissioner of the Streets Department. The two city departments can't communicate or fix their procedures in a working relationship? Hopefully, he will consider. Why should the residents accept that the overall process failure between these 2 city agencies is tolerated? Shouldn't the city fix this part of the problem before aggressively abusing and intimidating its citizens? "It's not my job" is one of the statements that leads many citizens to feel helpless. This broken intimidating process has been going on for years. My first experience was in 2002. Whose job is it? I reminded Mr. Williams that it is his employees refusing to tell us in plain language, the reason we are being fined in the first place. And that his employees refuse to immediately drop a ticket at the violation location no matter how often we are told the opposite. (Note: I think most reasonable people understand that a good Sweeps program must leave an immediate notice and contact the property owner via mail) Mr. Williams wants to assure us that the goal of their program is to "educate us" and "improve the community." We had a very polite and civil conversation. I explained to him that hearing such claims repeatedly in the face of the overwhelming evidence before all of us simple residents provokes a variety of negative feelings. Why should we accept punishment for complete incompetence and disinterest regarding our right to a fair and competent process? How can confusion and intimidation have anything to do with educating us about being good neighbors and communicating trash rules? He is to investigate further and get back to me. He claims that he will appear before our community if we want a community forum. First, I have identified some neighbors wishing to meet formally. I want to propose a city hall meeting in the presence of the mayor's staff with the department chiefs. I'll keep you posted, Glenn
