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Krasienko answers readers’ questions
Jul 03, 2010
We asked readers, if you were the city hall reporter for a day, what would you ask the mayor? Then we put those questions to Lorain Mayor Anthony Krasienko and here is the resulting reader-reporter Q&A interview with the mayor:
Q. Why are the streets in Lorain in such poor condition? Avon Lake’s income tax is lower than Lorain’s and the roads in Avon Lake are awesome. What gives?
A. Lorain has 579 lane miles of roads. The Lorain Engineering Department has estimated the cost of $70 million dollars to improve Lorain’s roads to an average rating. Currently, Lorain spends $1.5 million per year on road re-surfacing and re-construction plus any state or federally funded projects (i.e. Route 58, South Broadway).
Lorain’s roads are significantly older than surrounding communities. The vast majority are pre-1975 and built during growth periods in the 1950’s, 1960’s and early 1970’s. The useful life of the roads installed during those periods has been met over the last 10-20 years and available funds to resurface or replace has not kept pace with the need.
We will be releasing an infrastructure plan that will address unimproved roads in our city and include a $5 million per year road construction budget to achieve a 15-year cycle for road re-surface or re-construction.
Q. Why does it take so long to get a response from the Lorain Police Department?
A. Response time varies for a number of reasons, mostly due to priority or urgency of the call for service. Much like an emergency room, you treat a heart attack before a cut finger. The Lorain Police Department averages 165 calls for service per day, that range from neighbor disputes, DUI’s, domestic violence, burglary and assaults. Most all calls take 30 minutes to clear and write a report, some much longer. Additionally, the Lorain Police Department is down 23 officers from its fully authorized staffing levels due to budget constraints as a result of declining revenues in the current weak economy.
The Lorain Police Department has been very successful with grants that have paid for additional equipment and overtime, such as bulletproof vests, in-car cameras and overtime for target crime areas. These grants have taken the burden off of the General Fund and Levy, insuring available funds to prevent further reductions in staffing.
Safety is the first priority and has historically, and will continue, to receive the highest percentage of resources. This Administration will remain committed to allocating resources to increase Lorain Police Department staffing levels to ensure the highest level of protection for citizens.
Q. What are you doing to bring jobs to Lorain, and what are you doing to help out the Mom and Pop stores to make it through these hard times with all the big stores taking over?
A. The City of Lorain is continuing to explore ways to create and retain jobs within the City. In the last two and one-half years the City has established a locally funded economic development fund, developed the Job Creation Incentive Program, continues to operate a wide variety of loan funds and aggressively seeks to retain our existing job base and expand it by offering technical services and be proactive and business friendly.
The Economic Development Fund is a newly created fund that does not have the Federal strings that the City’s Federal sourced economic development funds have. This fund enables the City to create and effectively market the City at trade shows, corporate visitations, branding campaign and other methods, provide incentives, have local match available for State and Federal funding, and other uses as may be identified.
The Job Creation Incentive Program is a new program that is available to large and small businesses within the City. A percentage of income tax that a business pays to the City will be granted back so long as the payroll is at least $150,000 and the employees make a living wage, defined as 150% of minimum wage. This grant can be equal to 75% of the taxes paid , returned the next year. Therefore the City is able to know its costs and budget the new revenues appropriately.
The City continues to use its revolving loan funds to assist companies in investing in Lorain and creating jobs. The City operates the funds to assist large and small companies alike. Camaco, LLC, a tier two automotive supplier, received a $1 million loan to assist in an approximately $6 million investment to provide new lines that result in the recall of nearly 90 employees and the creation of 20 more full time jobs. Faroh Candies has received a small loan of approximately $6,000 that will enable them to install an ice cream machine expanding their business in downtown Lorain. Prime Industries has received a working capital loan to assist the company as credit tightened to ensure that they were able to receive product and retain employees to meet the demands of existing customers.
Efforts to retain existing businesses are very important. The largest retention effort to date is Emerson Electronics on the east side. By working hard, listening to the needs of the company and providing potential solutions to their needs the City has been able to retain at least 285 high paying jobs at a minimal cost. In a similar fashion, when Goodman Beverage became a part of Heidelberg Distributors, the City provided timely and needed information to the company and to IRG Lorain, LLC to ensure that the new and expanded company remained within the City.
All of the City’s programs are designed to assist any sized business, from small independent contractors and retailers, to service providers and manufacturers. The City is using its existing inventory of buildings downtown to attract small businesses and attractions. At 737 Broadway, the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame, the Lorain County Ironmen, the Christmas Shop, and a Flower Shop are tenants paying rents that reduce the costs of the City and provide the tenants with an opportunity to grow, expand and eventually pay more rent and take on more space. The City has also been very supportive of events that bring people together and create a destination. The Port has been a great partner with the Jet Express, the Tall Ships and the operation of Black River Landing. Similarly, the Palace Theater and its efforts to renovate its facade and improve the image of its building and downtown.
Q. What plans are in place to keep our kids safe from gang issues when the high schools merge?
A. The City of Lorain and Lorain City School District continue to partner to ensure safety for our children in and out of school. This school year, through assistance of Lorain City Schools, two (2) Lorain Police School Resource Officers will return to their assignment inside of our schools. This puts a positive force inside of school buildings to maintain safety in addition to the Lorain City School Safety Officers.
Lorain City School has used the Alternative Schools to address behavioral issues by removing disruptive students to receive their education in a more structured environment. This has dramatically improved safety in schools.
Additionally, Lorain Police Department has instituted a See-It-Text-It Program where youths can anonymously text tips into officers and potential issues can be properly attended to by the Lorain Police Department. Lorain City Schools works with the Lorain Police Department daily to ensure student safety.
School Safety is not just a school issue because most incidents that happen inside of a school are usually a result of something that occurred outside of the school building.
Q. Anything going on with the cleaning, deepening and widening of Martin’s Run Creek? We attended a public meeting two years ago, and no word since.
A. Martin’s Run watershed begins in Elyria runs through Lorain and empties into Lake Erie. Martin’s Run has historically overflowed its banks during event rainfall and floods Tower Boulevard, Ashland Avenue and various side streets and homes adjacent to the stream. In 2008, we began looking at improving Martin’s Run by widening and deepening the channel. Through this process many issues and obstacles were uncovered and identified, such as permanent easements, construction easements, EPA permitting and costs.
We are currently looking for grant opportunities for funding and local funding through the storm water utility for engineering. The process is unfortunately slow but our focus is to make the correct improvements to alleviate the issue.
Additionally, we are working with other municipalities and the County on a coordinated storm water management plan. This will allow for better planning and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. For example, an improvement could be made upstream in Martin’s Run that could reduce the size and scope of the project in Lorain. Thus, solving the issue at a lower overall project cost.
We asked readers, if you were the city hall reporter for a day, what would you ask the mayor? Then we put those questions to Lorain Mayor Anthony Krasienko and here is the resulting reader-reporter Q&A interview with the mayor:
Q. Why are the streets in Lorain in such poor condition? Avon Lake’s income tax is lower than Lorain’s and the roads in Avon Lake are awesome. What gives?
A. Lorain has 579 lane miles of roads. The Lorain Engineering Department has estimated the cost of $70 million dollars to improve Lorain’s roads to an average rating. Currently, Lorain spends $1.5 million per year on road re-surfacing and re-construction plus any state or federally funded projects (i.e. Route 58, South Broadway).
Lorain’s roads are significantly older than surrounding communities. The vast majority are pre-1975 and built during growth periods in the 1950’s, 1960’s and early 1970’s. The useful life of the roads installed during those periods has been met over the last 10-20 years and available funds to resurface or replace has not kept pace with the need.
We will be releasing an infrastructure plan that will address unimproved roads in our city and include a $5 million per year road construction budget to achieve a 15-year cycle for road re-surface or re-construction.
Q. Why does it take so long to get a response from the Lorain Police Department?
A. Response time varies for a number of reasons, mostly due to priority or urgency of the call for service. Much like an emergency room, you treat a heart attack before a cut finger. The Lorain Police Department averages 165 calls for service per day, that range from neighbor disputes, DUI’s, domestic violence, burglary and assaults. Most all calls take 30 minutes to clear and write a report, some much longer. Additionally, the Lorain Police Department is down 23 officers from its fully authorized staffing levels due to budget constraints as a result of declining revenues in the current weak economy.
The Lorain Police Department has been very successful with grants that have paid for additional equipment and overtime, such as bulletproof vests, in-car cameras and overtime for target crime areas. These grants have taken the burden off of the General Fund and Levy, insuring available funds to prevent further reductions in staffing.
Safety is the first priority and has historically, and will continue, to receive the highest percentage of resources. This Administration will remain committed to allocating resources to increase Lorain Police Department staffing levels to ensure the highest level of protection for citizens.
Q. What are you doing to bring jobs to Lorain, and what are you doing to help out the Mom and Pop stores to make it through these hard times with all the big stores taking over?
A. The City of Lorain is continuing to explore ways to create and retain jobs within the City. In the last two and one-half years the City has established a locally funded economic development fund, developed the Job Creation Incentive Program, continues to operate a wide variety of loan funds and aggressively seeks to retain our existing job base and expand it by offering technical services and be proactive and business friendly.
The Economic Development Fund is a newly created fund that does not have the Federal strings that the City’s Federal sourced economic development funds have. This fund enables the City to create and effectively market the City at trade shows, corporate visitations, branding campaign and other methods, provide incentives, have local match available for State and Federal funding, and other uses as may be identified.
The Job Creation Incentive Program is a new program that is available to large and small businesses within the City. A percentage of income tax that a business pays to the City will be granted back so long as the payroll is at least $150,000 and the employees make a living wage, defined as 150% of minimum wage. This grant can be equal to 75% of the taxes paid , returned the next year. Therefore the City is able to know its costs and budget the new revenues appropriately.
The City continues to use its revolving loan funds to assist companies in investing in Lorain and creating jobs. The City operates the funds to assist large and small companies alike. Camaco, LLC, a tier two automotive supplier, received a $1 million loan to assist in an approximately $6 million investment to provide new lines that result in the recall of nearly 90 employees and the creation of 20 more full time jobs. Faroh Candies has received a small loan of approximately $6,000 that will enable them to install an ice cream machine expanding their business in downtown Lorain. Prime Industries has received a working capital loan to assist the company as credit tightened to ensure that they were able to receive product and retain employees to meet the demands of existing customers.
Efforts to retain existing businesses are very important. The largest retention effort to date is Emerson Electronics on the east side. By working hard, listening to the needs of the company and providing potential solutions to their needs the City has been able to retain at least 285 high paying jobs at a minimal cost. In a similar fashion, when Goodman Beverage became a part of Heidelberg Distributors, the City provided timely and needed information to the company and to IRG Lorain, LLC to ensure that the new and expanded company remained within the City.
All of the City’s programs are designed to assist any sized business, from small independent contractors and retailers, to service providers and manufacturers. The City is using its existing inventory of buildings downtown to attract small businesses and attractions. At 737 Broadway, the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame, the Lorain County Ironmen, the Christmas Shop, and a Flower Shop are tenants paying rents that reduce the costs of the City and provide the tenants with an opportunity to grow, expand and eventually pay more rent and take on more space. The City has also been very supportive of events that bring people together and create a destination. The Port has been a great partner with the Jet Express, the Tall Ships and the operation of Black River Landing. Similarly, the Palace Theater and its efforts to renovate its facade and improve the image of its building and downtown.
Q. What plans are in place to keep our kids safe from gang issues when the high schools merge?
A. The City of Lorain and Lorain City School District continue to partner to ensure safety for our children in and out of school. This school year, through assistance of Lorain City Schools, two (2) Lorain Police School Resource Officers will return to their assignment inside of our schools. This puts a positive force inside of school buildings to maintain safety in addition to the Lorain City School Safety Officers.
Lorain City School has used the Alternative Schools to address behavioral issues by removing disruptive students to receive their education in a more structured environment. This has dramatically improved safety in schools.
Additionally, Lorain Police Department has instituted a See-It-Text-It Program where youths can anonymously text tips into officers and potential issues can be properly attended to by the Lorain Police Department. Lorain City Schools works with the Lorain Police Department daily to ensure student safety.
School Safety is not just a school issue because most incidents that happen inside of a school are usually a result of something that occurred outside of the school building.
Q. Anything going on with the cleaning, deepening and widening of Martin’s Run Creek? We attended a public meeting two years ago, and no word since.
A. Martin’s Run watershed begins in Elyria runs through Lorain and empties into Lake Erie. Martin’s Run has historically overflowed its banks during event rainfall and floods Tower Boulevard, Ashland Avenue and various side streets and homes adjacent to the stream. In 2008, we began looking at improving Martin’s Run by widening and deepening the channel. Through this process many issues and obstacles were uncovered and identified, such as permanent easements, construction easements, EPA permitting and costs.
We are currently looking for grant opportunities for funding and local funding through the storm water utility for engineering. The process is unfortunately slow but our focus is to make the correct improvements to alleviate the issue.
Additionally, we are working with other municipalities and the County on a coordinated storm water management plan. This will allow for better planning and more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. For example, an improvement could be made upstream in Martin’s Run that could reduce the size and scope of the project in Lorain. Thus, solving the issue at a lower overall project cost.
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