Issue
|
Status as of May 2005
|
Status as of May 2006
|
Flood Pumping Station
modernization
|
None
|
Six million dollar ($6,000,000.00) modernization secured to halt annual
flooding of town. Construction planned to begin Fall 2006.
|
County reimbursement to
residents for flooding
damages
|
$0.
|
$85,000 secured to 14 residents reimbursing for pumping station
failures in 2004 and 2005.
|
Community Development
Block Grant funding
|
$0.
|
$50,000 for staffing (Code Enforcement) to provide inspections for
health violations and unsafe property conditions.
|
Livable Community Grant
funding
|
$10,000 for gazebo
|
$39,000 for town-wide beautification and crime-tracking software,
among other items.
|
Professionalization of
town administration
|
Clerk-Treasurer system.
Auditors urge changing
system because it does not
segregate key financial duties
that may cause conflicts. No
management authority.
|
Established Town Administrator system. Ensures division of financial
roles, avoiding conflicts and providing checks and balances. Also is
manager of daily affairs, holding all staff accountable and reports to
Mayor and Council.
|
Code Enforcement
|
No dedicated Code
Enforcement program.
|
Code Enforcement program instituted. Has removed storage of
unsanitary items, addressed unsafe properties, abandoned cars and
neglected conditions to keep our town shining.
|
Rental Housing safety
|
No program to address
overcrowding or unsafe and
unsanitary rental housing.
|
Program instituted to inspect housing to ensure that there is no
overcrowding, that landlords provide safe health, sanitary, electrical
and other conditions for tenants.
|
Revitalization
|
No program to revitalize our
blighted or underutilized
properties.
|
Council signed on to Mayor's revitalization plan to improve our main
corridors, plant trees, and modernize zoning so we can bring good
businesses to places like Kenilworth Avenue. All these initiatives are
in early stages, many are being promoted through Port Town
partnerships.
|
Public Works program
|
Satisfactory
|
Excellent. Snow does not accumulate, streets are cleaned of trash
every business day, graffiti removed within 24 hours, due to
hardworking staff that is in service at 7am every morning.
|
Trash pickup costs
|
$6700 a month. BFI raised
their prices nearly $1200/mo in
2005
|
$5500 a month. Town solicited seven (7) sealed bids to ensure
competitive process and received four (4) responses. This price has
been locked in for three years, adjusting only for cost of living
increases.
|
Business Tax Collection
|
$38,000 of uncollected 2003
and 2004 taxes, resulted in
spending freeze in summer
2005
|
100% of all taxes received for 2005 tax year.
|
Respectful and Orderly
Town Meetings
|
Occasional
|
Always. New policies instituted prohibiting foul language and other
forms of disorder. Town business is now conducted in a respectful
and welcoming manner.
|
Community Friendliness
|
Satisfactory.
|
Improved. Town meetings start at 7pm rather than 8pm so it is easier
for folks who can't drive at night or have to wake early. More
materials are available in Spanish for our Latino neighbors.
Community events, such as National Night Out, Holiday Party with
Santa, Easter Egg Hunt, Art Openings, tree plantings, and others, are
commonplace and open to all.
|
