C.R. council acts without consulting

The Cedar Rapids City Council is going to implement another program without input from the northwest neighborhood. This is not the first time they have done this.

I'm not sure meetings with the City Council will solve anything. We have monthly neighborhood meetings with city staff and council members. They do not keep us informed on what their agenda is for our neighborhood until they have decided what they are implementing.

The last item was when we wanted the new rec center. After agreeing with the neighborhood where we wanted the rec center, they voted in where they wanted it. This has gone back to when the National Warden Association revamped Time Check Park, but the City Council would not allow them to clean out and reuse the former Time Check building.

After several meetings with neighbors on what we wanted put back in Time Check Park, it is still untouched. Now there is movement on the City Council's part to close streets and other things on the northwest side. The northwest side has brought attention to the City Council on matters that need addressed, but it is not part of their agenda, so nothing is done.

There have been several suggestions on how to improve the northwest side. The sidewalks are in disrepair; street lighting is poor; street drainage is poor; appearance of the city-owned properties is poor; build a dike that does not displace homeowners and businesses; implement things for kids to do; and add biking/walking trails.

Gary Stansbery

Cedar Rapids