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City Government

Mayor Hotline July 14 to 20

 July 22, 2007 ⋅  Post a comment

–LOTS OF NO WAY TO HALF WAY HOUSE
–JAN and ADDIE ARE BACK
–UNHAPPY TAXPAYERS

7/16/07
Anonymous:
I think we should license cats. I realize we can’t keep them restrained but many are picked up, fed or euthanized every year. A license fee would help pay for this and take some of the strain off the shelter.
M/CC

7/16/07
Jennifer Grimes
1321 N. Gawaine Pl.
Boise, ID 83704
Half-Way House: My husband and I are calling because of the Oxford type home that’s been placed behind our home. It would be nice to see a meeting between the Mayor and Dennis Mansfield who is setting up these Hope Homes behind our house and across the Boise City area. We, as a neighborhood, have a lot of concerns specifically for our safety, and also how these homes are established, operated, and run. At our last meeting there were quite a few issues and concerns that came into play. I just wanted to call and voice my concerns again, and let you know that we’re still very concerned and would very much appreciate the Mayor’s attention to this matter, whether it be a face-to-face sit down meeting, or a meeting with Dennis Mansfield and the representatives of that particular group. Please do give me a call back, or let me know what the Mayor’s office is intending to do in this matter.
PDS

7/16/07
Glenn Miles
1306 N. 26th
Boise, ID 83702
Misc: If I were the Mayor, I would not go on the McConaghy Saturday morning program either. When he mentioned Elaine Clegg’s name, he snorted as if he were a pig or was trying to make Elaine Clegg sound as if she were a pig. When he mentioned former Chief of Police Pierce, he referred to him pejoratively; when he was talking about a caller by the name of Hank, he asked if he was going to be a crank Hank. When he referred to Councilman Tibbs, even if he knows him or is his best friend or whatever else, referring to him as if he were a policeman eating donuts most of his time was disrespectful. There’s just a long list of things in which this man was disrespectful to the Mayor, the City Council members, and frankly if I were the Mayor, I wouldn’t go on his program either. Thank you very much.
M/CC

7/16/07
Addie Haas
1285 N. Astor Pl.
Boise, ID 83704
Half-Way House: I’m calling about the house across the street, 1286 N. Astor Place. My complaint this morning is, I was going through my records here, and of the 15 houses in this cul-de-sac, five houses have only one person in them, making this overbalanced with 8 people in the house across the street. This is totally unfair; my rights are taken away; I am really upset. This has gone on for a month and a half. Please do something.
PDS

7/16/07
Dwight Calloway
Park Complaint: A bunch of picnic tables are all crowded on the concrete pads in both Ann Morrison and Julia Davis Parks. This is great for events but that leaves the rest of the people sitting on the wet grass. It’s not right. Sometimes there’s not even an event happening and the tables are just crowded in one spot. We need more tables. I think the park maintenance just remove them from the grass to make mowing easier and then don’t scatter them around again. I have called about this before and it is taken care of for a bit and then it happens again. I will be watching and calling the media if I have to.
BPR

7/16/07
Tiffany Tanner
4115 Patricia
Boise, ID 83704
Sex Offenders: I know that (a sex offender) has been placed back in the Ada County jail out of the home in connection with the rape that happened around June 20, 2007 on Maple Grove and Edna. I just wondered if maybe we could speed up the process of not allowing sex offenders to live in the same home together. I wonder how many more things are going to happen to children before the city steps up and does something. I think the kids are more important and action needs to be taken. Thank.
M/CC PDS

7/16/07
Lynn Barber
9016 Westwood Haven Ct.
ACHD: I live where all the major construction is being done on N. Maple Grove. I have endured this construction for months and they have been very kind and polite to me. I’m voicing my concern that tomorrow I’m going to be without water for eight hours. I have a kindling box of pastures behind my home and I don’t think by looking at the road today at the entrance to my cul-de-sac that a fire truck could even get in here if they wanted to. I just feel like eight hours with no water in this kind of condition is a little ridiculous; I think it can be done more quickly, and if not, do it at another time. I know calling you today, nothing will get done, but I really not happy with ACHD and this work that they’re supposedly doing on Maple Grove. It’s now July 16, 2007 and we’re still under major construction and I don’t see any end in sight. I just wanted you to know, and to pray that there are no fires in our cul-de-sac for the next eight hours tomorrow.
M/CC

7/16/07
Jennifer Millet
4643 Patton Pl.
Boise, ID
Half-Way Houses: I’m really concerned with the number of group homes in the city. These individuals are felons and I understand they’ve lost their civil rights so I’m not sure why we’re protecting them. I’m hoping that the city can put something into place, new ordinances, to stop these group homes from happening, and would like to see that done.
PDS

7/17/07
Addie Haas
1285 N. Astor Pl.
Boise, ID
Half-Way House: Congratulations on appointing Chuck Winder to that position. I thought that was a very courageous move. It will make us all feel better, he’s a good man. Now, back to my problem on 1286 N. Astor Place; when I bought this house in 1999, it was zoned for one family dwelling. Any time the situations change to make it not a one-family dwelling, the neighborhood should be informed. This is wrong, very wrong. I do feel wronged on this and I demand my rights to retain the standard of neighborhood living. Thank you very much.
PDS

7/18/07
Merlin Hodge
1301 N. Gawaine Pl.
Half-Way House: I’m calling about our North Hampton Subdivision disaster of Mr. Mansfield moving in eight parolees in our neighborhood. I have called you before and I’m calling again to let you know we are still concerned and nothing has been done about it. We were told at our last meeting that only seven people had called your hotline and that bothers me because we feel there have been more people than that. I’m hoping there is something you can do about this.
PDS

7/18/07
Jan Petersen
3361 Forsythia
Boise, ID 83703
BPR: I’m calling to thank the Boise Urban Forestry, Dennis Matlock, for calling me and letting me know they will take care of the tree that is falling down on Forsythia along the ditch bank. They didn’t tell me when, but they’re going to take care of it. I hope it’s done soon enough that we don’t have to worry about somebody getting killed. Thank you.
BPR

7/18/07
Jan Petersen
3361 Forsythia
Boise, ID 83703
BPR: I just talked with Dennis Matlock again and he told me we’re about a month out, he has to put a public notice on that tree on Forsythia and Stonecreek approximately or 33rd. He told me you have one contractor that works for you for tree removal. I wonder if you would consider getting another one as well; apparently there’s a big backlog of trees that need to go due to the Black Bore Locust.
BPR

7/18/07
Addie Haas
1285 N. Astor Pl.
Boise, ID
Half-Way House: Mayor Bieter, I believe you got into politics or in public service to give a voice to people like myself that may not have the words to express my feelings of injustice, such as putting this sober house in a one-family subdivision. I hope I can have a smiling picture of you when this is solved as you were smiling with that Afghan moment on Monday. That was a very heart-warming story; I really appreciated it. Some stories have a good ending. Thank you.
M/CC

7/18/07
Shawn Leonard
8111 Queen St.
Boise, ID 83704
Willow Lane: I’m calling in regards to the Willow Lane Sports Complex. There used to be a fitness course on the south side of the complex along the Greenbelt, and it’s been removed. I would like to know if it’s going to be re-erected. I was told by some Parks employees it wasn’t going to be, and I want to know what can be done to get it put back up. I hope to hear back from you.
BPR
Action Taken: left msj

7/18/07
Margo
1485 N. Crestmont Dr.
Meridian, ID 83642
855-2411
Cell Phone Drivers: I don’t know if this is the correct place to even call to complain about people driving with cell phones. If they are not going to remove these dangerous drivers off the road, can you come up with a class for those of us who have to suffer with their ignorant driving choices, hold-ups, and cutting in front of people? I’m trying not to have a rage-aholic attitude but something needs to be done. There’s got to be something for people like myself that have to suffer because the laws won’t get the cell phones off the road. If you can’t get them off the road for whatever reason, then please offer classes to people who have to deal with it that have issues with it because they’ve almost been hit or seen drivers driven off the road because of it. It’s becoming a very big problem, especially if you live in Meridian like I do. If this is not the right number, please call me and direct me to the appropriate people. I’ve been trying to advocate this for years and it’s getting worse. Thank you.
Action Taken: left message

7/19/07
Susan Norton
Audubon Society
Parks: This is regarding Hyatt Wetlands Park. Meridian is trying to sell a small portion (their portion) of the Hyatt Wetlands Park and the Audubon Society would like the City to buy it. I have sent e-mails to Parks & Rec several time but they just say they’re working on it. I don’t see that anything is being done to raise money. Because it’s zoned commercial, I’m afraid it will get sold to the wrong people when it should stay as part of the wetlands. (this is in City of Boise)
BPR
Action Taken: contacted her

7/19/07
Jan Petersen
3361 Forsythia
Boise, ID 83703
Air Quality: Hello Mayor Bieter. Yesterday I reported to you that Dennis Matlock came out to our neighborhood and examined our tree and told me that it contained Black Locust Bore and it was dead. I’ve located another one and it looks like Dennis is right. It looks like there’s an epidemic of this boar in our town making these trees unhealthy and dead. Our view is we have a massive air quality problem and we believe that is probably due not only to our driving habits, etc., but also our unhealthy trees. We’ve noticed that a lot of people in our neighborhood, which is the North End, are no longer watering their trees as they can’t afford the high water bill. May we suggest that the City of Boise buy back from United Water the water rights, making water more affordable so we can take care of our yards and therefore our healthy trees can take care of the ozone layer and we can actually step outside and breathe healthy air again. For your consideration, it might be worth the cost of contractors to take out these dead trees for that purpose and plant brand new ones that are healthy. Thank you for your consideration; we happen to think it’s more important than libraries.

7/19/07
Owen Pipal
2406 S. Roosevelt
Boise, ID 83705
Ada County: My comments are concerning recycling and the Ada County Landfill. I had some wood that came from a big 12 ft. pallet, which I cut up into 4 ft. sections (25 boards) that I took out to the Ada County Landfill and had them run it through their chippers, because I didn’t want it to go into the landfill itself, and I was charged $6. When I told the lady this was recycled stuff and asked why I have to pay the $6 fee to leave it there, she said that’s what Ada County charges just to walk through the door. I think that’s something to think about on recycling – we encourage people to recycle, yet we charge them when they take the time to go out and put stuff through the recycler.
Action Taken: left msj

7/19/07
Joe Moran
1150 Miller St. Apt. 108
Boise, ID 83702
Elections: I read the Statesman’s recent article about the debate between Mayor Bieter and Jim Tibbs. This message is for the Mayor and Council. The candidate who gets the detox center up and running in a realistic manner for a fairly large number of people – it’s a public detox center, remember and every American city I’ve lived in has one, Boise is the only one without one – who gets that up and running as soon as possible, no promises, no we’re gonna, I don’t want to hear it. We will do; I want to see it. Then the candidate who improves the city bus system, who actually adds buses – don’t shut down at 7:00 p.m., shut down at 9:00 p.m. – add drivers so you can have double shifts, work them 8 hours a day then add another shift. Take money away from the administration, Fairless is making close to a three figure salary for doing nothing, and put that money into the bus system. The candidate who does that is the candidate that I will vote for, and tens of thousands of Boiseans will vote for. They want an improvement in city services; they don’t want promises, and they don’t want to listen to rhetoric. I’ll leave it at that.
M/CC

7/19/07
Addie Haas
1285 N. Astor Pl.
Boise, ID
Half-Way House: I’m calling about the house at 1286 N. Astor Place, the Sober House, as Mr. Mansfield quotes. It’s a detriment to our community, I don’t feel safe, and I don’t think my voice is being heard. We really are seeking assistance on this matter. Thank you.
PDS

7/19/07
Fred Genton
2014 Hillway Dr.
Boise
Property Tax: I’m concerned when I see the assessment notice for 2007. What is driving the Boise budget that it went up so dramatically on my notice? When I received my notice, I called the number listed for the budget hearing number; the lady who I talked to said she would have someone call me back in about a week. No one has returned my phone call, so again is a non-response. Also, nothing else on my assessment bill went up as much as Boise City, so I would like to know what is driving the 30% increase from last year. Thank you.
F&A
Action Taken: contacted

7/20/07
Benjamin Shelley
2823 W. Kathryn St.
Boise, ID 83705
371-6514
Misc: I’m calling for several reasons. On the corner of W. Kathryn and Taggert, there’s a street light that has been out for months and months. It was broken with rocks and now a bird has been nesting in it for months and no city employee has ever come to repair it. My grandmother, who also lives on Kathryn, called to report it and the city employee said that it couldn’t be a bird because birds don’t fly at night. It is a bird’s nest, filled with straw that the birds have filled in the remaining half of the lens, and they are living in it. We need your help to have the city works person go out there and repair it. I know it takes time to schedule these things, but once they’re on the schedule, it would take a person about an hour to replace it. The other concern is the house that’s on the corner, which is the southeast corner of W. Kathryn and Taggert, is a rental property that has been leaving cars parked the wrong way, and abandoned for months. They work on them out in the road on Taggert, which is a very narrow street that doesn’t have enough room for cars to pass, let alone with one parked and left to be repaired. The last concern is that directly across from that house, on the north side of Kathryn, there is a house, and I don’t have the street address right now, but there is a huge amount of traffic coming and going in and out of that house. Cars come for 5 or 10 minutes then drive away. Apparently this has been reported to the Boise Bandit Task Force, which I know according to the rules of law they have some strict guidelines and criteria they all need to follow in order to put into effect any kind of attempt to investigate this activity as potentially dangerous and harmful and violate public security and safety. I wanted to leave this message for you folks so you can be aware of this situation in this particular neighborhood. The rental owners apparently have no concern, even at one point when they were contacted by one of my family members, the owner didn’t even care to acknowledge that there was a reason for concern, basically because they live in a different place and collect a check. If the property owner knows there’s illegal activity occurring like this and continues to allow it, then that property owner should be held responsible for it. I appreciate your help.
PW PDS BPD
Action Taken: contacted

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