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Residents press La Porte council on Brooklyn Senior Center staffing, truck-route reinstatement and road-damage complaints
Summary
During public comment at the Feb. 24 La Porte City Council meeting, residents urged better staffing and storage at the Brooklyn Senior Center, asked to be reinstated on a truck route, and requested relief for vehicle damage on Bayside Terrace; staff said budget-retreat follow-ups are forthcoming.
Several residents used the council’s public-comment period Feb. 24 to raise local service and neighborhood concerns, and city staff said they will bring follow-up items to the upcoming budget retreat.
Brooklyn Senior Center: Susie Smith, a resident of Fairmont Park West, praised the new Brooklyn Senior Center programming but urged the council to consider adding staff and storage. Smith said current staffing leaves the west-side center unstaffed when the single staff member is in meetings or on leave, and she suggested one full-time and one part-time employee so someone is available when the director is out. She also urged adding a second staff member on field trips for participant safety, noting that attendance spikes have forced the center to lock doors and that seniors sometimes must park on the street. Smith described donated seasonal decorations and asked whether the city could provide an outdoor shed with shelving for program supplies so the director would have an office not filled with materials. City staff later acknowledged the comments and said some budget-retreat items will address senior-center concerns.
Truck-route reinstatement: Resident Gus Breeden of 222 Bayshore Avenue asked the council why his property at 1911 West Main was removed from the truck route and how he could be put back on it. Breeden said he owns 7.4 acres at the West Main/Spencer area and that not being on the truck route has hindered his ability to sell the property; he said he has been a La Porte resident for more than 50 years and will be 79 in May.
Road damage and vehicle repairs: William Whitney, a Bayside Terrace resident, reported vehicle undercarriage damage and oil leaks that he attributes to ongoing construction and asked whether the city will provide any relief. The presiding officer directed Whitney to speak with Matt Dahmer, who staff identified as the contact to connect residents with appropriate city staff for follow-up.
What staff said: In administrative reports the city noted staff had been made aware of Brookland/Brooklyn Senior Center concerns and will bring items forward at the budget retreat to start addressing them. Councilmembers also asked staff to clarify the truck-route issue raised by Breeden and to report back with direction.
Why it matters: Senior-center operational capacity affects an older residents’ access to programs and transportation safety; the truck-route status can affect land use and property marketability for large parcels; construction-related street conditions can create vehicle damage and safety concerns for neighborhood drivers.
