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Residents tell council of difficulty filing police reports, and raise neighborhood maintenance and park concerns
Summary
Two residents used the privilege-of-the-floor to tell councilors that police are difficult to reach for filing reports and to urge the city to address abandoned vehicles, obstructed sight lines, trash, and maintenance at Scooneovers Park and the observatory.
Two residents addressed Lima City Council during the public comment portion of the meeting, raising concerns about police responsiveness to reports and a range of neighborhood maintenance and park‑use issues.
Daniel Rittner told the council he has been trying to file criminal reports with the Lima Police Department and said he encountered problems getting the department to accept his evidence and take written reports by phone or in person. Rittner said his attempts to report an alleged crime escalated and that he has involved an attorney; he asked the council for help and the clerk asked a named staff member (Holman) to follow up.
James Henderson said he lives on East Pearl Street and listed neighborhood problems including multiple abandoned vehicles on streets and driveways, overgrown trees and bushes blocking sight lines at intersections, speeding traffic, and areas where parked vehicles hamper trash pickup. He also raised concerns about Scooneovers Park — citing lack of restrooms, running water and usable sports facilities — and said the observatory is rarely open despite posted hours. Councilor Thompson and others said they would follow up with Henderson.
Councilors acknowledged the comments and said staff would follow up. Holman was specifically asked to contact Mr. Rittner; councilors indicated they would follow up with the resident who raised neighborhood issues.
Ending: Councilors asked staff members to follow up with both residents after the meeting; no formal actions or votes were taken in response to the comments.
