Though a head count was not taken, the public may have outnumbered the Jamestown City Council at its routine meeting Monday.
A group of self-avowed "taxpaying, law-abiding, hard-working" residents took the opportunity for public comment to highlight a lingering problem in their neighborhood. They were led by 13-year-old Skyler Gore, who demonstrated such work ethic as he wrote his own thoughts and delivered his message to the council.
"Our community of East Cowden Place is working very hard improving our overall appearance," said Gore. "Our veteran residents, some here tonight, have stated in hours of conversation that our street has not been replaced or had major repair in over 50 years."
The problem includes 300 feet of pavement and a short concrete retaining wall which runs the length of the entrance along the first property on the street. The temporary solution of periodically putting stone and tar and the cracked surface is not an ideal fix, he said.
"We take pride in our homes and properties, but we simply cannot take pride in such a neglected street," Gore said.
He added the neighborhood group has reached out to the city for quite some time, and he hoped the council could use its influence to put East Cowden Place on the list of road projects for the 2011 season.
Jeff Lehman, city director of public works, attended the council meeting and was happy to share good news with the concerned group. Afterward, he said Cowden Place is set to be repaired using funds from the Community Development Block Grant. A survey crew will set out this fall to get the project started.
A COMMITMENT TO NEIGHBORHOODS
Before tapping the gavel a final time to close the meeting, a round of council offered comments in praise of the neighborhood's efforts. The evening's discussion was elevated beyond a simple line item on next year's road projects.
"Every time someone comes to the council I think we should recognize them, and they should be commended for coming out on a beautiful evening with enough concern to act," said Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2.
Gore had said the neighborhood group was represented at last week's Community Forum for revitalization.
Dolce said, in turn, that addressing the council is a perfect example of the type of community involvement that the city needs from all the neighborhoods.
"Just being proactive, like today, is how things get done," added Councilman Mike Taylor, D-Ward 3.
While it sometimes takes years to see city crews, Taylor said, "coming to the (council) meeting and letting your concerns be heard publicly does put you a little ahead of the curve."
Residents of East Cowden Place benefit from their local neighborhood watch group, which routinely meets to discuss issues related to home security and safety of the streets.
