Last year, through the Near Northwest Community Action team meetings, our residents and stakeholders came up with an idea to spark more accountability from our city departments but also, to show more of our neighbors that when we do things together, we can accomplish more than we could on just our own.
What we decided was to take 10 min out of every meeting and identify a problem area in the neighborhood such as illegal dumping or potholes, etc. and report them to the city as a collective. We all downloaded the Request Indy app or for those who don’t have that access, they could go to the Mayor’s Action Center link at https://www.indy.gov/agency/mayors-action-center and even call them at 317-327-4622.
What we were told over and over again was that the city has to respond to a complaint if 10 or more people make it so this was our opportunity to use the time that we are together to get to these issues that seem to go unresolved for months.
We first started with a couple of cars that have been abandoned for years in front of the firehouse on Udell St. Within 48 hours after we made the complaint, they were finally removed. Then last month, I had finally had enough of the large pileup of illegal dumping that was happening on 23rd and Milburn, along the Carrier Bryant site.
Although it did take some more pressure on the city, with the help of our Deputy Mayor Judith Thomas as well as making another complaint to the Marion County Health Dept, 23rd Street was finally cleared of 3 to 4 truckloads of debris!!
It is amazing what we can do together for the good of our neighborhood. What may seem like a small task, can sometimes feel overwhelming but, we are all here to fight the good fight with you and get our community moving!
For a list of meetings that you can attend, please feel free to email me at rrice@flannerhouse.org for dates and times.
Ron Rice
Community Builder, NNW