Holiday Safety Tips from the APD

Some helpful suggestions for holiday safety from the Akron Police Department Community Relations Office (330-375-2390):

The Holidays are good times for family gatherings, friends, and burglaries.

We should all think about home security during the holidays. Burglary is a crime that tends to increase around the holidays. Homes are filled with gifts for family or friends’ this time of year potentially luring burglars and criminals.

Traveling, visiting relatives, or just away shopping only to return to the scene of a burglary at home can be devastating. These simple home safety tips may help.

* Always activate the home alarm, lock the doors and windows before leaving.
* Leaving for the holidays hire a house sitter or family member to check the home, pick up mail or cancel the paper and deliveries.
* Ask your local law enforcement agency to check your property.
* Never leave your home in the pitch dark, keep interior and exterior lights on digital timers that turn lights on and off at intervals.
* Put radio talk shows or television on timers so it sounds like your home.
* Make sure the window curtains or blinds are closed. Why advertise?
* Break down the boxes to the big ticket items like flat screen televisions and X-box game consoles so they fit into the trash can.

Stay aware of your surroundings at malls, stores, and shopping centers. Your safety and those of your family members should be a priority. If a criminal attacks you for your packages, wallet or purse give it to them. Your life is more important.

* Shop during daylight hours if possible and take someone with you “Safety in Numbers”.
* If you must shop alone and leaving a store late at night ask store security or employees to accompany you to your car.
* Avoid carrying large amounts of cash and don’t advertise large rolls of money.
* Use debit or credit cards and secure any receipts then check your account regularly.
* During daylight hours park under a light so your vehicle will be visible after dark.
* Look for landmarks.
* Before leaving your car scan the area for threats. Scan the area on your return.
* Make sure you lock the doors and windows on your vehicle.
* If your car has an alarm set the alarm.
* If you take packages back to your vehicle put them in the trunk or out of sight.
* Occasionally move your vehicle try to avoid parking in the same spot for too long.
* STAY ALERT! STAY SAFE! and HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Local Resources

There are so many wonderful resources available to the citizens of the City of Akron, Summit County, and Northeast Ohio. I will continue to share this information with you all year round through this web site and Twitter.

One of these is The Summit Soil & Water Conservation District, and their web site is a great source of information! They recently posted the fall newsletter, so this is a good time to check them out.

Their mission is to provide local leadership and technical assistance for innovative programs to conserve soil, improve water quality and enhance the natural resources of Summit County.

Note that I keep a list of helpful links on the right side of my web site for your reference any time.

Ward 7 Leaf Pick Up Reminder: November 10-13!

A reminder to Ward 7 neighbors that the City of Akron has one pick up scheduled for leaves, it is November 10-13 for our area.

SOS Holiday Pie Sale: Pre-Order Deadline is Monday 11/9!

Serving Our Soldiers (SOS) Holiday Pie Sale

Pre-Order Deadline is Monday 11/9!

$8 per Large 10” Ready-To-Eat Pie, Homemade Gardner Pies: Apple, Cherry, Peach, Very Berry, Apple Walnut, Pecan, Pumpkin

Cash Only

Call 330-643-8626 to place your order

Pick up your order Tuesday 11/24, 11:30 – 1:30pm

All donations and proceeds from the pie sale will be used to purchase postage for care package distribution for the soldiers.

More information about the Serving Our Soldiers Program.

2009 Election Results

Thank you once again to my Ward 7 neighbors and volunteers for all of your support during the 2009 campaign. I was very pleased to win the election with 72 percent of the votes cast yesterday.

I look forward to serving you on the City of Akron Council for the next two years, and welcome your feedback as we continue to improve our neighborhood!

Thank you!!

City of Akron Leaf Pickup Schedule

AKRON SETS LEAF PICKUP SCHEDULE
COST CUTTING REDUCES TO ONE TRIP THIS YEAR

The City of Akron Street Cleaning Division will continue to provide leaf removal service to the citizens of Akron despite changes in the city’s economic climate.  The city has made changes to the program to reduce costs while still maintaining a high level of service.

The most obvious change will be that only one round of leaf pickup will be offered.  With only one round, crews plan to begin collections in the first week of November depending on when the majority of leaves actually fall.

Public Works Manager Paul Barnett said today, “This will result in greater efficiency for our crews and reduce the number of call backs for ‘missed leaves.’  We realize that we may need to return to the wards that are at the beginning of our schedule because their leaves may not all be down.  Another change is that the amount of overtime hours will be reduced by more than 30%.”

Additionally, residents may use both of their annual FREE bulk pickups (if not already used) for bagged leaves.  Please call the 3-1-1 call center to arrange pickup at any time during the program regardless of ward.  According to Barnett, these changes have been recommended by a task force of management and union members working jointly towards improving operation and cutting costs.

At www.ci.akron.oh.us, the City of Akron’s web site, the city will be keep providing up-to-date information on the status of the program.  Barnett says he expects to have the first four wards on the schedule completed by mid-November, the next three wards by the end of the month, and the final three by the second week of December.

He added, “The further we get into December, we increase the chance of snow delaying or slowing our progress.  Regardless, we will continue with the pickup as weather allows.  As in the past, we will post signs at intersections in the wards prior to pickup dates.”

The following is the anticipated schedule.  Note that this is only a target at this point.  It will change due to when leaves drop and as weather requires.  The City of Akron will keep citizens informed as we modify our schedule.

Ward        Date To – From

3        Nov 2 – Nov 3

4        Nov 4 – Nov 6

5        Nov 7 – Nov 9

7        Nov 10 – Nov 13

1        Nov 14 – Nov 18

8        Nov 19 – Nov 25

10        Nov 28 – Dec 1

6        Dec 2 – Dec 4

9        Dec 5 – Dec 8

2        Dec 9 – Dec 10

Flu Resources

If you are concerned about the flu, especially H1N1, there is a web site dedicated to information that will help you understand if you are at risk and steps you can take in your household.

http://www.summitflu.org/

Being informed is a very important step, there are many complimentary resources available to you.

City clarifies deficit, savings for Council

City clarifies deficit, savings for Council

Akron City Council members received a clearer picture of where the city stands financially during a special caucus held Monday afternoon.

Akron Finance Director Diane Miller-Dawson reported that after a variety of cost-saving measures enacted through September, the city has reduced its overall $10 to $12 million budget deficit, and further savings are expected to produce a balanced budget by year’s end.

“We held the caucus so that all Council members can be on the same page and understand what was done to cut expenses through September,” said Council’s Budget and Finance Committee Chair Tina Merlitti (W-7). “We have three more months to go. If the trend keeps like it is, we think we’re on track to break even and balance the budget.”

Read the complete article on the Council web site.

Recent endorsements

Thank you to the Tri-County Labor Council and Communication Workers of America for their endorsements of my 2009 re-election.

I appreciate your support!

Council scrutinizing city’s paid association memberships

Council scrutinizing city’s paid association memberships

Vote delayed pending review of necessity and benefit of affiliations

Akron City Council is delaying approval on what was a routine request by the city’s Director of Finance to pay $400,000 in annual fees to 15 organizations, associations and agencies.

Council’s Budget and Finance Committee Chair Tina Merlitti (W-7) said some memberships with certain government agencies like the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency are mandatory, but because of the city’s strained budget, renewing other affiliations calls for some scrutiny.

The city spends the most on mandatory license fees related to wastewater treatment activities. The highest expenditure in this category is a $75,000 annual payment to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for annual discharge and sewer sludge treatment.

“The city is routinely assessed mandatory license fees and charges by the Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources,” Merlitti said. “Our purpose is to take a close look at other affiliations.

“We get quite a benefit from being members of some of the national organizations like the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities,” said Merlitti, who with Ward 4 Councilwoman Renee Greene and Ward 10 Councilwoman Kelli Crawford belong to NLC’s Women in Municipal Government constituency group.

“NLC allows us to share best practices with other communities and provides the best training you can get to be a Council member, but none of us is going to the annual NLC conference this year because we’ve cut our travel budget.”

The $12,242 membership with the National League of Cities also is a tremendous benefit to Akron and Council, but it also will be reviewed, she said.

Even though the city’s previously projected $12 million deficit has been reduced to closer to $7 to $8 million, Merlitti said more sacrifices must be made. Cutting back on associations is one option. “It’s still very little to sacrifice in these times when city employees face job losses and mandatory furloughs.”

Council also will take time to review more specific details on how proposed furlough days will impact city employees’ paid holidays and vacations.

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