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Resident urges council to halt Tower Boulevard extension study, cites persistent dumping near Broadway
Summary
Douglas Navolinski told the Lorain City Council he opposes investigating a Tower Boulevard extension while many city streets remain unrepaired and described ongoing illegal dumping and stacked tires on a vacant lot between West 37th and West 39th on Broadway, asking the city what to do next.
Douglas Navolinski, a resident who identified himself during public comment, told the Lorain City Council he opposes further investigation or spending on a Tower Boulevard extension while many city streets remain unrepaired and in poor condition.
"I just think it's a terrible idea," Navolinski said, describing daily driving hazards on unmaintained streets and saying a new road would run behind his property. He said he has repeatedly cleared and paid to remove litter and discarded tires from a vacant lot between his shop on West 37th and the Dollar General on West 39th and that two more stacks of tires have recently appeared.
Navolinski asked whether the city is currently investigating the Tower Boulevard extension and the prior survey work under previous administrations. Chair (speaker 1) and the clerk (speaker 3) said they would connect him with city staff, and the clerk suggested using the SeeClickFix app to expedite reporting. The clerk also reminded Navolinski of the two-minute public comment limit.
Why it matters: Navolinski framed his comments as both a fiscal and service-priority concern — arguing that funds or staff time toward a roadway extension would be misplaced while basic street maintenance and litter removal needs remain unmet for some neighborhoods.
Council action and next steps: The meeting record shows multiple agenda items later in the same session that authorize engineering and construction work for Tower Boulevard (including traffic-signal improvements and a rehabilitation contract), all passed by the council at this meeting. Council staff did not respond at the podium with a schedule for enforcement or property-owner outreach during public comment; the clerk indicated staff follow-up and pointed to the SeeClickFix app as a reporting pathway.
The council did not take any immediate formal action in response to Navolinski's comment; the record shows the clerk committed to connecting the resident with the appropriate city contacts.
