Tough Task for Quality of Life Taskforce

A Taskforce Boss

Tough Task for Quality of Life Taskforce

The Worcester Quality of Life Taskforces has done much good. A recent column in the Worcester Telegram reported that the Taskforce has

1.      removed over 85 tons of illegally dumped trash

2.      levied $31, 000 in fines against the illegal dumpers

3.      visited over 3400 vacant or problem properties

4.      identified 128 homeless people encampments

5.      collected 1500 discarded needles

The Worcester Telegram article further said the following

“The task force has also visited 3,447 vacant/problem properties and citations have been issued for unregistered vehicles, overgrowth, trash, housing violation, unsecured vacant building and code violations.”

I brought attention to the overgrowth, because there is a Worcester (City) owned  property at the corner of Lake Ave. and Sunderland Road that has been overgrown  and trashed for decades. The City of Worcester has de facto abandoned the property.

Quality of Life Taskforce will have a tough time getting its boss City Manager Edward Augustus to clean up this City property at Lake Ave. and Sunderland St.

  

The City acquired the property with the intention of building a fire station. This followed the National Fire Protection Association’s best practice of locating fire stations on the outskirts of an urban area. The best practice was not followed when the City built fire stations on Grafton St. and on Franklin St.

This de facto abandonment allowed years of trash accumulation and overgrowth.The sidewalk along the property is unpassable, especially for the handicapped. Walking in the street is extremely dangerous as there is no breakdown lane at that intersection. There is no alternate route from Lake Ave. to the Plaza or to the bus stop.

Over the years several petitions have been sent to City Council in the hope that it would set a policy that would compel the City Manager to clean up the property and clear the obstructed sidewalks. One City Councillor lives nearby and drives by the overgrown and trashed City she has not done any to effectuate a clean-up. A second City Councillor has written a letter to the City Economic Department where he has no authority regarding the lot. I appreciate his effort.

In frustration I filed a complaint at the City Commission on Disabilities. This is a first step in the process of exhausting all recourses before going to Federal District Court with an Americans with Disabilities complaint. To my surprise the Commission responded and said it would investigate actions to clean up the City’s property. It sent my complaint to the Quality of Life Taskforce.

I do not hold out much hope that the Quality of Life group will overcome the objections of the City Manager who has for years intentionally ignored the problem..