Storm water issue and what is obvious...

Yesterday Joe McNamara had a Press Conference. It turns out there is a city program in place that Joe didn't know about. I'd add I didn't know about and I don't think many of us knew about. I watched the recent video on the Storm Water Utility and the Toledo Waterway Initiative that was available thanks to Kate's Toledo Politicians and I don't remember it being mentioned then either...

The other City Council candidates were asked what they thought of Joe's plan (from the original press release) to:

create a low-interest loan fund for homeowners making improvements such as installing backwater valves or water-proofing systems and also offer them a credit on their water and sewer bills for such upgrades.

McNamara says the city should seek to partner with local banks to create the loan fund, following the model of a similar partnership making loans to small business: the city’s Neighborhood Economic Development Loan (NEDL) pool.

From the Blade article:

Ms. Santiago said, "Rather than trying to create media attention to his candidacy, he should be investigating what is already available to the public and helping people access those programs already in existence."

Republican Dave Schulz, who suggested Mr. McNamara was using the flooding problems to advance his political career, said such loans are available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Small Business Administration. "The city has enough on their plates maintaining our sewer system let alone managing another government program," he said.

Mr. Schulz said homeowners should consider adding a sewer backup, sump backup rider on their homeowners' insurance policy.

Bob Vasquez, an unendorsed Democrat, said he'd like to review Mr. McNamara's proposal more before commenting on it.

Is it the responsibility of candidates campaigning for office to investigate and help people people access programs? Even in Joe's Service to ALL campaign theme I'm not sure he can be held to blame for a real lack of information on these two city programs. Or even from the State a Program that I've never heard mentioned, Housing Linked Deposit Loan Program which Lucas County is not a member of but it states:

However, in the unfortunate event of a natural disaster or other catastrophe, the State Treasurer’s Office can fund programs across the state where no Housing Link programs exist.

Dave Schulz's response which was more along the lines of duplication of service/effort does raise a valid concern. Yet I think what ends up being obvious is there is a lack of information out there even to sitting council persons. Or even Former Mayors. (The Sojourner's Truth website seems to have a temporary glitch).

Also included in Joe's Press release but that didn't make it into the Blade article, which is not a slam on our print media, that's just the reality of how the process works, was this statement that I think we all would agree with:

“Obviously the most important things the city can do to prevent future flooding damage involve sewers and drainage, engineering and infrastructure,” McNamara said. “But there are a lot of homeowners whose lives would be simpler right now if they had had backwater valves and sub-pumps.”