(File)
Euclid City Councilwomen Angela Steele for Ward 8 and Tara Hannum for Ward 5 have started a Street Delegate program in order to improve the relationships between residents who have just moved in and the community surrounding them.
Each street would have a designated resident that would come by and visit any new residents on the street and give them a welcome packet from the city. They would also be someone that other community members could turn to when they need a connection with the city government where now the residents usually contact the city council or police.
“I moved to Euclid, and I noticed people took pride in their neighborhood,” Steele said. “People took pride in their homes. Being a single parent, what I did note is that people talked to me about it. People talked to me about the ordinances and the laws.”
The program was made after Steele felt the need to try and bring better communication to the city and within the residents of Euclid as well.
“it’s a volunteer program,” she said. “What a street delegate will do is give the new residents — the people coming into the neighborhood — the welcome package that has all the street ordinances and some of the resources.
“Also, the street delegate will keep the councilperson informed as in ‘OK, Councilman Steele – there is some crime happening here,’ ” she added. “There might be a situation where there is a water main break, or we need to have the service department come in and remove trees. They just know what’s happening on the street, they are an extra set on eyes on the street.”
The Street Delegate program will, according to Steele, also help with code enforcement when a city council member is not aware of a possible issue with a problem house or resident.
“For an example, I get calls all the time where that resident doesn’t feel comfortable talking to those people,” Steele said. “Because that is not following the ordinances, they are letting their lawns go down, they are not cutting their grass. You know some homes are just a wreck.
“And then they contact me, and I contact the service department and housing department and say, ‘listen that house they are not keeping their homes up,’ ” she added. “I mean how would you like to live next to a house with tall grass and garbage in their yard and you’re having a cookout? You’re embarrassed because the house next door to you isn’t being kept. For some odd reason they are not following the ordinances.”
Those wishing to join the program must be 18 years old or older and live within Euclid. More information about the Street Delegate program will be given during an information meeting at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 30 in the Shore Meeting Room in Euclid Public Library, 631 E. 222nd St. where Steele and Hannum will be available to answer questions.
