The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-02-17

IESC1 SO1Aroa over TIE sewer Co0-
tractors. This fact has occasional.
lily resulted IN misunderstanding be.
tween the citizens and their city
government regarding eontrA d
1.-THE sewer contractors activities.
Every effort Is beng made to ex.
pedite the work and minimize c.
.Itizens inconvenience
Meanwhile, city forces have been
called upon to repair the old sew
Ter lines and keep the old system
in operation. We believe this has
been done very creditably with the
notable exception of the North
Beach sewer break last August.
The city lacked the equipment 70
handle the large volume of sewage
as this was the main artery.
1 The Street Department has been
called upon to do work far beyond
the normal call of duty. A con.
tinuous patching program was al
leyiated by contracting for over 4
miles of surface treatment. Unfor.
tunately. this program was halted
by lack of public understanding ard
approval. However, the work &C.
IcomphShed by this contract has as
sisted the department IN maintain.
ing a fair degree of patching be-
hind the sewer contractor. Patch
crews have patched 16l1 miles ID
streets.
The Street rebuilding crews have
rebuilt by ripping, grading, rolling,
bonding, and surfacing 413 miles
of streets during this six months
period even though badly handi.
lcapped by one of the rainieSt sea.
sons ever experienced by this city.
This rebuilding of streets in resi-.
dental areas is being accomplish.
ed at about Is of the cost that com.
parable work could be done by con
tractors.
/ Garbage collection service by the
Sanitation Division has been vast.
lily improved by changes in organi.
lZation and the addition of a new
type covered truck. Experience In
dictates that further purchases Of
this type truck are desirable. Sub.
lstantial savings in labor make this
equipment a good business invest.
ment and improved sanitation is a
welcome by-product. Over 100000
cubic yards of trash and garbage
were collected and hauled to the
city dump during the six months
period as part of the routine work
lof this department.
The complaint division Of the
, Public Service Department, under
Mrs. Beverly Wilson, has under
: gone a vast change and we believe
this change has proved to be q
great success. Postcards from. ci.
tizenS continue to indicate that ser
vice is improving. We trust citi.
zens are taking full advantage Cd
this opportunity to air their ciri.
ciSms, as this Is the means by
which we can continue the i'm.
Iprovement of this service.
J, The city dump has improved Its
sanitary condition ard is being per.
, iodically inspected by the County
Health Unit. Reports Indicate that
insect control is effective and that
sanitary conditions in general are
/ improving continuously. We invite
! the citizens to inspect the cumr
lste and see conditions for them.
selves.
Street cleaning and sweeping has
been extended over larger areas
[of the city. The results in overall
improved appearance of the city
ARE believed to be worthwhile, al.
though much remains to be &C.
compliShed. Perhaps additional
funds should be earmarked fol-
lextenSion of this work in next
Years budget. Additional funds
are necessary IL we are to clean
more than just the business areas.
Improvement of City property
has been undertaken and q start
has been made. The city garage
has been moved from city hall b
No. 2 Stump. The lot at No. 2 Sump
!: is being improved to make q per.
manent location for Public Ser
vice headquarters and to relieve
the congestion around city hail. A
shop building has been acquired
without cost through cooperation
with the City Electric System.
Lumber for expanding our covered
storage to give protection to our
equipment has been Salvaged BY
demolishing a government building
which we purchased for the sum OF
one dollar! The lot is being leveled
and graded. It viii ultimately be
paved and Handicapped.
The parking lot In the rear Of
city hall has been expanded BY
filling in an old cistern and re,
moving unsightly accessory build.
ingS. Much remains to be done to
the city hall property before it can
be considered satisfactory.
In conjunction with the Mosquito
Control Board the Public Service
Department has demolished and
filled in about sixty abandoned
cisternS.
The Department has assisted IN