Healthy, Sustainable Communities Discussion Group at Einstein Medical Center

A City That Works - May 15, 2008

There were 20 to 22 people in the group, some from District Council offices.

What does this goal mean to you?

• Better recreation centers – state of the art computers.

• Healthy environment – clean and safe.

• Tree-lined streets.

• Clean sidewalks.

• Litter and graffiti free neighborhoods.

• Clean and legal food establishments with healthy food offerings.

• No vacant buildings.

• No dog poop.

• Businesses employ local people who can then walk to work.

• No drug dealers in vacant lots or in the community in general.

• Repair buildings that don’t have to be torn down.

• Skating rinks and public libraries with after school programs.

• More skateboard parks.

• Well-lit and clean streets and alleys.

• Neighbors knowing what can be done about vacant/neglected properties.

• Multicultural neighborhoods.

• More and well-maintained greenery.

• More shopping malls with good restaurants.

• Adult exercise opportunities.

Performance measures (What would success look like?):

• Number of residents working on problems – community participation.

• Percentage of corners with covered trash cans.

• Number of inspections to check on citizen compliance with trash rules.

• Number of parenting classes at recreation centers.

• 100 percent of all eateries have food inspection reports posted prominently.

• Reduction in juvenile crime from 3-6 p.m. as a measure for recreation center programs.

• More well-maintained greenery, trees and bushes, as measured by the # of acres of green cover.

• Citizen advisory board that meets quarterly, particularly to improve recreation centers. The performance measured by percentage of recommendations taken.

• Number of recreation programs that have joint programs for old and young.

• Percentage of recreation centers with full adult supervision with less dependence on the # of volunteers.

• A drop in percentage of kids in trouble as a measure of success of recreation centers.

• Zero children on the street during school hours.

Customer-service standards:

• No wait on phone longer than five minutes.

• Every call answered by a real person.

• Friendly and knowledgeable person answers and can direct you to the right person to help you.

• Get a ticket number and name when you call with a call back within 24 hours.

• Checks to Dept of Revenue cashed within 5 business days.

• Calls to L & I are responded to within 5 business days to report how long it will be until there is a resolution and then a call to tell you what they did.

• Assistance for multiple languages plus senior citizens.

• Post a legal notice for demolition to insure what is being done is legal.