Views From The HOOD

Going door to door, one listens and learns
what issues are on the minds of resident
voters.

On a national scale, people are very
concerned about the economic downturn
which has eroded their savings and stressed
their budgets, creating anxiety about their
futures.

People also worry about events in Iran, and
North Korea, which pose threats to our
national security.

Locally, people express concern about
property taxes, public safety and issues
pertaining to neighborhood
residential integrity and quality of life.

The concerns articulated include:

1. Public safety, increases in vandalism
property damage, break ins, and thefts.

This past Sunday night, a car was stolen
from a residential driveway near
Buckingham Pond.
The car has not been recovered.

2. Growing volumes of speeding traffic on
neighborhood streets, including Buckingham
New Scotland , Whitehall, Berkshire, South
Manning Western and smaller tributary
streets like, Ferndale, Collins , Lenox, Euclid
Ormond, Cortland and Greenway N & S.

3. Cars running the school crossing red lights
Hurst at New Scotland and Buckingham/Lenox
at New Scotland endangering children who
attend St Catherine's School.

4. The inoperative crosswalk signals at
New Scotland and Krum Kill pose a hazard to
pedestrians.

5. Lack of police presence to deter crime
vandalism and control growing volumes of
speeding traffic on residential streets.
Maintaining a presence in
Buckingham Pond Park

6. A growing number of single family
residences rented to college students and
groupies.

7. The need to correct drainage/flooding
problems on the backlots of homes bordering
Tampa Ave and Bender.



8. Neighbors not wanting a sidewalk
contstructed on Euclid and Berkshire,
just North of the Pond.
They say that Lenox and Colonial have
sidewalks that provide access to the
Pond Park from residential streets
to the North of the Pond.

9. Buckingham Pond Park has somewhat
improved by cutting the grass on the
North Side, Raftsway and the
Milner Ave footpath areas.
Also, hanging baskets were
placed on lamp posts along Rafts Way.

However, the wooded path between
Lenox and Holmes
Dale, South Side, is in poorly maintained
overgrown condition.

Vines are strangling young and old trees
on the southern and western sides of the park.
The young Hemlocks and other conifers along
Rafts Way are being overgrown with weeds
briars and vines.

Footpaths are slippery and dangerous when
wet. Coarse bluestone is needed.

The split rail rail fencing
along Milner footpath is destroyed.

The metal guard
rail at the foot of Euclid, South side,
continues to be rammed by speeding
traffic coming down the hill
and failing to halt at the stop sign.

The pedestrian
crossings are not marked with lines
or signs urging motorists to slow down.
Truly dangerous crossings
for residents who attempt to access the
Pond Park from Euclid and Lenox.

Most of the recommended
actions posted in earlier entries, this
blog, have not occurred.

Pond water quality continues to ]
deteriorate because of no reductions in
lawn chemicals and road salt use in
the surrounding watershed.

Failure to control shore
erosion, through more plantings and
bulkhead construction results in silting
of the ponds and
connecting channel.

These are but a few of the needed actions
to improve the residential integrity and
quality of life in our neighborhood.

10.The pending closure of St Teresa's
Church/School and effort by Lennie Ricchuiti
Common Council President candidate
and PAL Director, to take over the school
as a PAL center, negatively impacts that
neighborhood.

Displaced blight and crime from the
Park South Urban renewal project is
heading up New Scotland
Avenue to the 9th, 8th and 14th Wards.

Closing St Teresa's Church and school
will only hasten the decline of that
neighborhood, and eventually ours.

11.The derelict abandoned gas station
building at Whitehall and New Scotland
attracts blight and blighters.

The building must be
razed and the 3/4 acre Dan O'Connell
Memorial Pocket Park become a reality
before the September 15 Democratic Primary.

12. Likewise, real progress must occur regarding
creation of the 23 acre neighborhood green belt
bordered by Krum Kill, Crescent Dr and Rte 85.

13. Consolidating the city schools with city
government, creating one property tax roll to
support both, making the mayor and common
council responsible and accountable for the
functioning and performance of city schools
and returning to a K-8 neighborhood school
system benefits kids, parents, teachers and
neighborhoods.

14. The Meyers Middle School can be converted
to a County/CIty Nursing Home benefitting
the elderly population in the city, and
stabilizing the Lower 8th Ward home values
and property tax base, preventing decline of
that neighborhood.

Health care workers can buy homes in the
neighborhood and walk to work.

See earlier detailed posts, this blog and
http://lonerangeralbany.blogspot.com/

Political action is necessary to achieve the
above improvements and to maintain/improve
the residential integrity and quality of life in
this , and adjacent neighborhoods, and ours.

This is why I am a candidate for Common
Council Member, Ward 14.

Joe Sullivan

438 5230