Dear Eleanore Turkington:

The time has come to address the beautiful lake at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Lake Street and Colonial Boulevard and Colonial Circle. For the past four years, my husband was confined to a wheelchair and on oxygen 24 hours per day. His greatest joy was to sit by the window looking at the lake and fountain, which he was deprived of (sadly he passed away nine months ago).

The bushes and weeds are out of control surrounding the fountain, along with mice, rats and bugs finding a haven in this deplorable out of control jungle. Over the years we contacted Beth Sabo, Public Works Commissioner, who was caring in understanding our feelings and she tried to remedy the situation, but her hands were tied as there was so little she could do.

The solution: make West Haven proud in cutting the bushes and weeds to the ground level, show the fountain, and install plaques on the fences of three sides displaying this sign: “..There is one scenic spot, the pond at Lake Street at West Shore in the Guinness Book of World Records as the ‘closest body of fresh water to salt water in the world.’ The spring-fed pond is located directly across from the beach.”

I pay high taxes for a water view, which I am deprived of.

Susan Gorry

Dear Susan Gorry:

I am sorry for the delay in responding to your inquiry. Beth Sabo, Public Works Commissioner replied promptly and had this to say about the lake, “Each year, the city trims the bushes and phragmites around the lake. Last year we were asked to stop the trimming. I sent a letter to the inland Wetlands Agency expressing our need to maintain the area on an annual basis. We will be discussing the area with the state concerning phragmite spraying and control. We will be doing the Oyster and Cove Rivers for just that. Meantime, the vegetation was cut back. It has to be done by hand as the flaylor cannot reach over the fenced area.”

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

Why are all those parking spaces close to the City Hall given to employees? When the police department left their spaces, they were doled out to more employees instead of the public who pays for the operation of our city. Now, the Board of Education moves in. It is likely that the public will have to park further away. This is a disgrace to the taxpayers.

Employees of public retail businesses are given the spaces further away. As a former employee of the Social Security Administration (now retired), SSA employees had to pay for their parking except for the office manager. Parking at federal facilities are reserved for the agency head and federal field agents whose daily job was in and out during the day for law enforcement, tax collections, etc. Our city employees should be grateful that they have free parking that runs $125 to $150 monthly like I had to pay.

Who advocates the spaces? What the mayor and town council should do is put all employee parking at the end of the lots except for field agents and department heads like the Feds do. If they qualify for handicap stickers that would be different.

With our high taxes this is an insult to us. I am sure the City Council can pass a regulatory ordinance ASP. The mayor should be the leading example.

When you are walking further and further to go pay your outrageous property and car taxes, the latter of which exist in none of any state I know of, it just seems you pay more and more as the distance increases.

GS

Dear GS:

According to Michael Walsh, City Public Information Officer, “A new City Hall parking policy was instituted in April 2006. The policy requires city executives, including Mayor John M. Picard, to park their vehicles behind City Hall as part of an effort initiated by Mayor Picard to make City Hall more accessible to residents and those with disabilities.

For the past four years, the west side of City Hall has been reserved for visitor and handicapped parking, offering four spots for guests and four for drivers with disabilities. The half-hour parking area includes a delivery and loading zone where Mayor Picard and former mayors once parked, to ensure that delivery trucks do not obstruct the nearby fire lane; a tow zone.”

Coming up: food vendor parking..litter at Morgan Lane railroad underpass…working at home ordinance..mailboxes requested at main post office…more boardwalk complaints…Oak Grove cemetery gripe….traffic problem at Meadowbrook Road..more motorcycle and motorist police coverage requested at Savin and Kelsey Avenue.. barking dogs in neighbor’s yard and much more.

Gripe Vine Readers: Please remember, if you have a gripe, first try calling city officials. If you don’t get satisfaction from them, (their numbers are listed near by column weekly,) get back to me, leave your name, phone number and address, for my records only, and I will try to help you. If you don’t want your identity published, let me know and I will honor your request.

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

I am a lifetime resident of West Haven, who as a child, I am now 59, enjoyed Savin Rock, then brought up my four children at West Haven beach. It has always been an everyday part of my life, as well as my parents and grandparents. About 14 years ago I joined the line dancing on the boardwalk. It has been my enjoyment every summer. This summer it has been taken away from me, my fellow line dancers and all the wonderful people who bring their chairs and watch us dance every summer. We have made some great friends and have clean, wholesome fun. People visit from all over and were always impressed with our program. Ramona, Fran and more recently Dan, have donated their time and make many people happy every summer.

We cannot dance on the cement at the Grove, as it is too dangerous. We keep hearing about the new deck’s need for approval with the insurance company, but summer is half over and it is looking like stall tactics to me.

I would like to know, too, why something positive like this program, for seniors, baby boomers and young adults alike, is being taken away from us. Isn’t it time to help out people like us who pay their taxes and try to have clean wholesome fun? If insurance was the issue, why would there be skateboarders, bicycle riders, joggers, etc. It has never been a problem for 20 years. It is too bad people can’t stand seeing others having a good time. Please give us some answers.

A Concerned Taxpayer

Dear Concerned:

By the time you read the following response, the deck will have opened, but officialy, William Slater, Parks and Recreation Director had responded to deck opening inquiries with, “Eleanore, music played on the Oak Street deck will resume Aug. 3.”

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

What is the city’s rule on abandoned vehicles on public property?

Curious

Dear Curious:

According to Sgt. Martin Garcia, West Haven Police Department, “Abandoned vehicles on public property, can be reported to the police, (203) 937-3900.”

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

Hi! It’s that time of year again. The bushes need to be trimmed at the corner of Chase Lane and Shingle Hill. They’re starting to block traffic.

GJW

Dear GJW:

Beth Sabo, Public Works Commissioner has sent the flayor out to trim the bushes. And another letter from you, GJW, indicated, “Thank you, the bushes have been taken care of.”

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

As a Fourth Avenue resident, I am appalled at the number of people who speed down this street. People use this one block, one way street as a race track and one day a small child playing near the curb is going to be hurt and seriously injured. Is there a way for traffic to post a car for a few days somewhere on Fourth Avenue, not on the corner? If they stay here, they can probably pay for a good chunk of the department’s overtime with the tickets they write.

Concerned Resident

Dear Resident:

Gripe Vine notified the Crime Prevention Department at the West Haven Police Office of your concerns. Has there been an improvement here? Please let me know.

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

I just finished reading your letters in a recent column and felt that two of those letters required a comment. (Ed. Note: the letter writer is referring to properly enforcing parking signs and noting damaged street signs.) The letters from “A Resident” and “Annoyed” brought up very valid questions concerning police traffic issues. Both of these issues had to do with problems on main traffic areas of the city that are patrolled by the police department, numerous times of the day.

The response given from the Traffic Division was that these complaints were not called in and reported. While I believe that all citizens should get involved when they see a problem, I find it hard to believe that not one officer did not notice these problems and report them to the proper person. What is it that they are looking for while on patrol? I know that the police do not have an easy job but I think it’s time that they start doing more of their job.

Safety Conscious

Dear Eleanore Turkington:

In response to your request for input on the traffic circle at Jones Hill Road and Ocean Avenue, I would like to say that the construction of the circle is the best thing that happened in West Haven. It causes people to slow down. The people should be more concerned about the drag racing and deafening noise caused by motorcycles and cars along Ocean and Captain Thomas Boulevard.

Francis

Gripe Vine Readers:

I asked the West Haven Police Department Traffic Division for an accident report since the round about at Ocean Avenue and Jones Hill Road was installed. The reply, “The accidents at this intersection have decreased since the installation of the round about and the severity of the accidents that now occur are normally very minor because the round about decreases speed of approaching motorists. Whereas, in the past, most accidents in that intersection would almost always have injuries.”

Gripe Vine Readers: Please send your name, address and phone number when submitting your gripes. If you don’t want your name published, I will honor your request. Please contact the city offices listed in the box near my column. If you don’t get results or don’t like the results, write to Gripe Vine.