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..
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