Improve street cleanings

Early in this current mayor’s term, The Spokesman-Review reported that he wanted to outsource some Street Department work to non-city workers. In the meantime, under this mayor, we have gone from three citywide residential street cleanings a year to just one.

My neighborhood hasn’t been cleaned since April 2014. Driving around, one will notice the streets are filthy and embarrassing. We have trees that drop stuff year-round.

There is no rhyme or reason to the street sweeping; some years in the spring, some years the fall. No set schedule, so cars are in the way of the sweeper. Come up with a set schedule with at least two cleanings a year.

My mother’s city in California has signs posted in the neighborhoods. Her sign says: “Street sweeping is done the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Cars parked on the street will be ticketed.” Sure enough, I saw a cop car following the sweeper. We can do the same here and have clean streets and added revenue from tickets issued. This will clean up the hundreds of junk cars on the streets, too.

Richard Trerise

Spokane