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City Government

Mayor Hotline May 2 to 8

 May 11, 2009 ⋅  Post a comment

MOSTLY TRASH TALK, SEXY BUS STOP BENCH

5/4/09
John Gates
8239 W. Donnybrook Dr.
Boise, ID
322-8322
Trash: I just want to make a remark about that garbage can issue. I don’t approve of it
whatsoever. I think it’s the most communist thing I’ve ever heard of when they tell us we HAVE to use a garbage can; we’re not being asked to use it. I don’t approve of it; I don’t like it a bit.
Thank you.
Action Taken: spoke to him prior

5/1/09
Anonymous
Trash: Having a two-can system is ridiculous. The overflow from my rats I would like to take
over and put into your dumpster if you don’t mind. Unless you’re going to do something to
increase the available space, either keeping it weekly or giving us a third container, this system
will not work. You will find out as a private citizen when your term ends soon.
5/1/09

Julie Hulvey
3707 Nez Perce
331-3119
Noise: The reason I’m calling tonight is I’m annoyed by the ice cream truck. I can hear it from
10 blocks away playing “You are My Sunshine” or “My Wife and I Live All Alone” and I know
people are excited by ice cream and it’s a fun thing to do, but I think the sound needs to be dealt
with. It’s maybe broadcasting a little too far and a little too loud. I’m wondering if you could
work with the ice cream vendors on that. Thank you.
Action Taken: left msj

5/1/09
Francis Harlow
2775 S. Mayflower Wy.
Boise, ID 83709
322-7888
Trash & HR: I called earlier this morning with concerns about the new trash collection program.
I got a call back from one of the employees regarding that and I’m now calling about that
person. In the course of me trying to describe my displeasure with this program, the operator
attempted to interrupt me on several occasions and I pointed out to her that it was inappropriate
and to please discontinue that. As I continued talking, I suppose she reached a point where she
figured she did not want to talk to me any more and while I was still speaking simply said, “All
right, thank you very much. Goodbye” and hung up on me. Hopefully you can go back and
locate the person who made that call; hopefully you had a recording of it and hopefully that
person will be calling me back to apologize. It’s only appropriate. You know, we are the
citizens and you are our servants and we should not be treated poorly. Thank you.

5/1/09
Rae Bauman
83702
Trash: I am just calling to support the recycling program. I think it’s wonderful and I’m glad you
guys have implemented this and you’re welcome to give my name out.
PW

5/5/09
Harald Lund
377-8516
Trash: Mr. Lund is in his 70’s and he feels he will be unable to push a full 95-gallon cart to the
curb. He called the number on the flyer (327-8404) and asked them if he could have 2 48-
gallon carts instead, and they told him no. Since he didn’t get any satisfaction from the call, he
decided to go to the top and see what could be done for him.
Action Taken: contacted no need for PW to follow up w/ him

5/3/09
Anonymous
Airport: This is a message for the Mayor and City Council. I’m a senior citizen here in Boise
and I received some very disturbing news yesterday when I landed at the Airport and got on the
shuttle to go back out to the economy lot to retrieve my car. I was told that after the 15th of the
month this service will no longer be available. That really upsets me with the congestion and
crowdedness at the Airport parking terminal. It’s an excellent service and why in the world are
they going to shut it down? I’m just real concerned and I will continue to follow up and try to talk
to the Mayor personally and invite him out to the economy lot to ride this service and show him
what a great service it is, and it’s going to be terribly missed if they shut it down. Thank you.

5/4/09
Mr. Ryster (same person as above)
Boise
424-5053
Airport: I’ve got kind of a problem I would like to share with the Mayor and I would like to set up
an appointment with him to talk to him briefly. The problem is that they’re closing down the
economy lot at the Airport as of the 15th of the month and I would like to kind of talk to the Mayor
and find out why they’re doing this and bring out some points on how valuable the service is,
and I don’t feel it’s right. I would like to talk to the Mayor about it. Thank you.
Action Taken: contacted

5/4/09
Jane
(402) 960-1255
IHS: I’m calling about the Idaho Humane Society. I guess since they got the contract with the
city, their whole approach has changed drastically. For instance, most of their policies are just
plain money grubbing. My cat has gone missing and I spoke to someone out there and they
told me there would be combination fees of $6 per day (that’s all right I guess). Then they said
before you take your cat you have to produce all this ID that you are who you claim to be (that’s
okay), then they said I would have to pay to get two types of shots. Although the city doesn’t
mandate the shots, suddenly you can’t even get your own cat back without being forced to pay
money. By the time you get through, it’s $60. I’m thinking this is a racket; my cat is an indoor
cat, he spends like 80 percent of his time in my house; he runs around my yard that is an acre
lot. That kind of takes care of his roaming most of time. It’s like you’ve got a gun at your head;
if you want your cat back it will cost you $50-60 and then you have to furnish your ID. I
understand; there are probably people who eat cats for all I know. I just resented it because
they’re all about money grubbing. They used to have $10 dogs; they were old dogs that were 8
years old or older and people don’t want old dogs a lot of the time. So, in order to give those
dogs a chance to be adopted, they’re $10 dogs. I’ve gotten several $10 dogs who are
wonderful and lived 5 or 6 years. Now, every dog is at least $100 by the time you get through with the shots, the spaying and all that, plus if they’re valuable dogs, then they add hundreds of
dollars on top of that. It used to be you paid about $50-60 for a dog and maybe $40 for a cat.
The animals had a chance to get a home, but now it’s no different than going to an expensive
pet shop. They must be killing scads of dogs and cats because why keep them if you can’t sell
them for $300 or $400. That’s what they’re doing. It’s not the humane society I remember and
had respect for and was going to leave money to in my will. Whatever happened when they
made that contract with the city was a bad deal for the citizens of Boise and especially bad for
the animals. They have to be destroying scads of animals at a horrible rate. That’s how I feel
and somebody should check into it.

5/4/09
Lydia Justus Edwards
P.O. Box 35
Donnelly, ID 83615
(208) 325-8757
BCAC Housing: I wanted to make a comment about a concern I have. Last week I began to
search for the Boise City Housing Agency and I called the Mayor’s office and got the right
number and proceeded to call the number (345-4907) and I was met repeatedly with recordings
saying “leave a message” or “if you know someone’s extension”. This went on for two days of
calling and no one ever called back, no one answered the phone over there. It’s Monday
morning @ 9:40 and I got a woman named Marsella. She said she and Ann answer the phone
and that she doesn’t know why the phone was not answered last week, but that the two people
who are in charge of the issue I’m concerned about are Sandy and Sharon who have the
records for housing on Franklin St. and they are both gone this entire week, at least until
Thursday to a conference. I asked if it was not a good idea, when you get these messages to
call back and say we’re working on your question. I have no idea whether anyone is alive over
there, you all didn’t answer the phone. Marsella did not know why they didn’t answer their
phones and they didn’t receive my calls. She doesn’t remember whether she forwarded my
messages. Anyway, it was quite inefficient. All I needed was a human being to call me back at
some point or to answer the phone and tell me that they got my message and that they’re
working on it. But, that’s not the case and I thought maybe you would like to know; I would
certainly like to know if my staff was using mechanical technology not to be at their desk and not
to respond unless the Housing Agency is so busy that it’s overwhelmed, and that’s always a
possibility. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. My question of the Housing Agency was to get records for a
woman who had died there last year and how long she had lived there, an old friend of mine.
Thank you so much.
BCAC Housing

Action Taken: left msj
5/4/09
Chris Williams
3022 N. 38th St.
Boise, ID 83703
283-7151
[email protected]
Smoking: I would really like something done regarding smoking in the city parks or public
parks. My children are out there playing, obviously not just my children but other children too.
People are smoking on the benches around it watching their kids play and it’s just blowing on
the children, which we all know is not good for anybody. I would like to see some sort of
regulation, ordinance, city code, or law, whatever needs to be done to have that stopped.
Obviously it could be by a fine just like anything else as need be. Whether it’s no smoking
within 300 or 500 ft.; if people say it’s too hard to regulate, then just make “no smoking” in the
parks at all. Whatever needs to be done. I would like somebody to contact me, either by letter,
email or phone to see if something can be done. Thank you.
Action Taken: contacted

He already spoke to parks they told him to talk to the mayor and council
5/4/09
Erika Benson-Schofield
7363 Westland Lake Ct.
Boise, ID 83714
853-1295
Trash: I just wanted to say I think the new Curb-It program is fantastic. I’m looking forward to
receiving the new cans and I’ve never had a problem sorting, but I think this should instill others
to recycle which is great. I do think that the charge for the larger cans and more than 1 can
should be more than just a $1 a month. I chose the 48 gallon because we barely fill that in a
week. We do everything we can to recycle and compost and not to consume tons of nonreplaceable
resources. I think that this is a great move in the right direction and I wanted to
thank you for that, but I also think in the future consider raising the discount for recycling and the
cost per can and size of can to really encourage people to recycle and not fill up the landfill.
Thank you.
Action Taken: contacted

5/4/09
Ed Rankin
Boise, ID
377-0843
Trash: I would like to suggest maybe something go along with the Curb-It program, which I’m
not too excited about, but anyway that’s neither here nor there. For yard waste and green types
of waste, could the city entertain the possibility of if a resident of the city wanted to haul that to
the landfill himself, where it would not go into a landfill but into a mulching area, that the city
would offer some vehicle that they could provide a free pass into the landfill to dispose of that
stuff and save the homeowner from cutting it up and putting it into the bins and that sort of thing.
Plus, if the homeowner did it himself, then the people wouldn’t have to haul that away.
Suggestion, see if it’s a possibility that could be worked out between the City of Boise and Ada
County since two different entities would be involved in that. Thank you for your time.
PW

Action Taken: left msj said PW will be contacting him{
5/5/09
Dennis Wells
P.O. Box 10691
Boise, ID 83715
869-5106
Code Enforcement: I’ve been a resident of Boise all my life and I’m 50 years old. I’m calling
regarding Loren Gray. He’s a 75 year old resident and he was sentenced Friday to ten days in
jail for probation violation, which is not true. It’s for non-compliance. We’ve got a 75 year old
man who has been a productive member of society; 75 years old butting heads with a judge
when they’re both wrong. I did call Channel 7 News and they’re looking into it, Mayor, but
something’s wrong here; they’re both butting heads and something needs to be done. This isn’t
right. You’re welcome to call my cell number back; again it’s regarding Loren Gray at 1107 Fry
St., in Boise. It says it’s for probation violation, but that’s not true; it’s for non-compliance of
cleaning up his yard; he’s 75 years old. He’s been given 10 days and he’s already been in there
since Friday and it would be nice if we could get something done on this. See what you can do,
Mayor.
PDS
Action Taken: contacted

5/5/09
Yvonne Falk
4623 Albion
Boise, ID 83705
388-1649
VRT: At the corner of Curtis and Overland on the south side there is a bus bench. The
advertisement I saw on there was very inappropriate. It was totally sexual in orientation; a
woman was laying there in her sexual outfit. I just think that if the bus is in that much trouble to
sell tickets, then maybe we shouldn’t have the bus line. Mayor Bieter, I think it would be great if
you would call me back; I think your parents would have an absolute fit over that. Thank you.
VRT
Action Taken: left msj

5/7/09
Anonymous
National Guard: I’m calling concerning the National Guard that’s here with the airplanes flying.
I’m really having a hard time; I live somewhat close to the airport and I just cannot believe that
you allow this sort of thing over a city because those afterburners and everything are very, very
loud and I hear that this is going to go on for six months. I just don’t understand why this is
being allowed; just this morning it’s very nerve racking and I don’t know if you guys can do
anything about it but I needed to call and tell you that I really don’t appreciate the decision for
somebody to allow this, especially for six months. Thanks.

5/7/09
Maryanne Seitz-Hart
342-0953
Budget: I’m calling from the information on the website where I missed the survey on the city
budgets; I didn’t get there in time. I would like to follow up; I did watch the forum at city hall that
was online which I appreciated very much. I wondered if you will have anything on the budget
process at the grand opening of the West Boise City Hall on Monday; I could pick it up there; or
is there anything at any of the community centers; something that matches or goes with the
forum and the survey process. I can do homework if I need to, but I would really like to have
something that I can look at. I do plan to get to the opening of West Boise facility. Thank you.
Action Taken: left msj

5/8/09
Sharon Jones
Barden Tower Dr.
Boise, ID 83709
Spring Clean: I was just calling because I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated the Jerry
Todd and Spring Clean Boise. A group of LDS men came last night and helped me in my yard.
It’s wonderful and I appreciated it very much. So, thank you for Spring Clean Up.

5/8/09
Jack Spencer
1401 N. 19th
Boise, ID 83702
344-1623
Trash: My question is about the new Curb-It program. I am interested in seeing the three
different sizes of containers, including the 48 gallon ones. I went to two different places and
they did not have a 48 gallon sample. I called the number given in the brochure and it took two
phone calls, and the second phone call I was told that they do not have those on display
because they really don’t want people ordering them. They’re concerned that they’re not big
enough. Well, that bothers me since I have considerably less than 30 gallons of garbage a
week. It also bothers me that they are encouraging people to use more trash space than they
really need. Perhaps you can respond to this and speak to the program and have them find
some place that they could put the 48 gallon size on display. Thank you very much.
PW
Action Taken: contacted
Lady from Sacramento called: 5/1/09 PM, 5/2/09 AM, 5/4/09 AM, 5/4/09 PM, 5/6/09 AM,
5/6/09 PM, 5/7/09 PM, 5/8/09 AM.
Jan T. Petersen called: 3rd Msg. 5/2/09 @ 10:17 AM; 4th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 10:23 AM; 5th Msg.
5/2/09 @ 4:52 PM; 6th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 5:08 PM; 7th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 7:21 PM; 8th Msg. 5/2/09 @
7:26 PM; 8th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 7:33 PM; 9th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 7:40 PM; 10th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 7:45 PM;
11th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 8:12 PM; 12th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 8:17 PM; 13th Msg. 5/2/09 @ 8:21 PM; 14th
Msg. 5/2/09 @ 8:27 PM; 15th Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:06 AM; 16th Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:19 AM; 17th Msg.
5/4/09 @ 8:26 AM; 18th Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:32 AM; 19th Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:39 AM; 20th Msg. 5/4/09
@ 8:46 AM; 21st Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:53 AM; 22nd Msg. 5/4/09 @ 8:58 AM; 23rd Msg. 5/4/09 @
9:09 AM; 24th Msg. 5/6/09 @ 4:10 PM; 25th Msg. 5/6/09 @ 4:18 PM; 26th Msg. above; 26th
5/8/09 8:44AM; 27th Msg. 5/8/09 @ 9:47 AM.
Tried unsuccessfully to contact

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