During the October 20 Candidates Night held at Burroughs School in South Toledo, mayoral candidates Mike Bell and Keith Wilkowski both pledged to act positively for the Highland Heights neighborhood, agreeing to almost all the requests made by neighborhood residents. The forum, also attended by 12 candidates running for six Toledo City Council at-large positions, was co-sponsored by Highland Heights Neighborhood Association (HHNA) and Burroughs Neighborhood Organization (BNO). Following are the questions the two groups posed to the mayoral and council candidates and the responses from the candidates.
HHNA Question 1 Will you pledge to demolish at least five houses/buildings a year in the areas in South Toledo that our groups represent and to vigorously enforce city code during your term in office?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Joe McNamara, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Polly Taylor-Gerken, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman, Terry Shankland, Kevin Milliken, George Sarantou, Constantine Stamos.
NO: (No one.)
HHNA Question 2 Will you pledge to provide funding through capital improvement revenues to either: a) repair and upgrade Highland Park pools or b) convert them into green space beginning in 2010?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Joe McNamara, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Polly Taylor-Gerken, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman, Terry Shankland, Kevin Milliken, Constantine Stamos.
NO: George Sarantou.
HHNA Question 3 Will you pledge an increase in police patrols and presence in our neighborhoods, working in cooperation with our area anti-crime groups, such as BNO and HHNA?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Joe McNamara, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Polly Taylor-Gerken, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman, Terry Shankland, Kevin Milliken, George Sarantou, Constantine Stamos.
NO: (No one.)
BNO Question 4 Will you pledge to annually trim, cut, and/or remove stumps, repair or replace city sidewalks and maintain alleys?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Joe McNamara, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Adam Martinez, Kevin Milliken, George Sarantou, Constantine Stamos.
NO: Terry Shankland, Rob Ludeman, Polly Taylor-Gerken
BNO Question 5 Will you commit to allocate a minimum of $350,000 annually in capital improvement funds in BNO and HHNA neighborhoods to resurface a minimum of 1 mile of street?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Polly Taylor-Gerken, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman, Kevin Milliken, George Sarantou.
NO: Constantine Stamos, Joe McNamara, Terry Shankland.
BNO Question 6 Will you pledge to hold the owner of the 19.5 acre parcel located at 310 and 400 South Westwood Avenue accountable to clean it up, perhaps allocate environmental funds to assist in the clean up, and work with the University of Toledo, city of Toledo, and neighborhood organizations to complete a feasibility study to prepare the site for shovel-ready development including commercial, green and/or other related uses by end of 2010?
YES: Wilkowski, Bell, Steve Steele, Joe McNamara, Terry Biel, Phil Copeland, William "Willis" Terry, Polly Taylor-Gerken, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman, Kevin Milliken, George Sarantou.
NO: Terry Shankland, Constantine Stamos.
