by Sylvia Berman, Mitman Neighborhood Association president
Hi Neighbors!
On Saturday, September 9, 2023, Deb Thompson (VP of Thunderbird) and I attended a meeting created by TTRG (Tucson Residents for Responsive Government) held at Ward 2. These meetings are neighborhood focused and aim to improve our quality of life. There seems to be a movement in Tucson towards the greater government support of community involvement.
As the attendees introduced themselves, we mentioned our primary concerns. It seemed to be a universal that City government does not actually work WITH residents. Instead, they tend to talk TO us … tell us what we can and cannot do. They ask for our input, but we feel they do not engage in a meaningful discourse.
I pointed out that this is an understatement. It is ridiculously difficult to get anything done. There is all kinds of bureaucracy. Part of the problem is the difficulty in finding the correct routes to take to solve a problem. Another part is the inability on the part of some City employees to adequately convey information. The Department of Resources is planning to hold workshops for neighborhood association board members in order to help demystify local government.
This meeting was very helpful because it helps neighborhood leadership connect with resources. We met people who could help going forward and were able to advise on the spot. Eryck Garcia, Mayor Romero’s aide, was in attendance and listened to our concerns. It is very important to participate in your neighborhood association. Organization is everything and as Neighborhood Resources becomes stronger … it is the way to get things done.
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This past week, Logan Byers (the new Senior Project Mgr at Tucson Clean & Beautiful) came to see our traffic circle at 2nd Street and McKinley. Previously, Mitman NA applied for renovation of all of our traffic circles and other green, water reclaiming and traffic calming features. Apparently, we were on the wrong track all along and never knew it. Now, we are directed to start all over again at the Department of Transportation. I am trying to find out what we need to do … but Ward 6 is very supportive of these improvements.
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I found a clue to solving the mystery of how to get the well site at Baker & McKinley cleaned up! It must be one of Tucson’s best kept secrets. There is actually a landscaping company contracted to do this and we have to get on their schedule. Credit goes to Deb Thompson. That’s how they got their wash cleaned up.
While I get us on their calendar … Mitman NA needs to appeal to Councilman Kozachik to help get better control of this site. It should be a topic at the annual meeting on Saturday, October 14, 2023 from 10am-noon at 5701 E. Hawthorne Street. Along with the renewed possibility of turning the space into a pocket park. This has been the topic of vehement concern in the past. However, residents who are property owners have expressed that they felt their voices were not properly heard. Our annual meeting is a good place to have a conversation.
The real concerns here are the maintenance and cost of insurance. Currently, Tucson Water has been unable to manage this property and that seems unfair to residents. It affects our property values as well as the enjoyment of our environment. We don’t need to make a big project out of this. A few trees to provide shade and maybe, some gravel.
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Last but not least, is Councilman Kozachik’s weekly newsletter. If you are having trouble with the link, please paste in your browser.