City of Toledo
Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz 
Toledo is our city and with your help, we will build its future. At the beginning of my administration on Jan. 3, we began the mission-critical work of increasing opportunities for all Toledoans.
I welcome your ideas, suggestions, and comments about the future of Toledo.
We have a lot of work to do. We have an amazing team running our city.
On Friday, I announced Katy Crosby, who is the executive director of the City of Dayton Human Relations Council, will be our new chief of staff. She is someone who brings a wealth of talent to our city. Katy has myriad experience that she will bring to Toledo to help continue our strategic improvement. Her arrival on March 5 will continue the theme of change. Among the things Katy will be doing is working with neighborhoods and the economic development team because of her unique skills. She will be stoking development on the neighborhood level.
I want everyone to be assured that while we are working on change and new endeavors, we are also making sure everything that was working continues to work well. Toledo’s water is safe to drink thanks to the amazing employees we have in the public utilities department. Someday soon, I want to be able to say our water is cleaner at the source, not because we have invested more in chlorine or other chemicals to clean up the polluted water source, but because we took real, tangible steps to make sure that Lake Erie is healthier.
We will push forward to forge new partnerships. Among them, I want a closer relationship with Metroparks Toledo because that is another way we can make Toledo a more liveable city.
We will build on the momentum downtown and expand that out into our neighborhoods. We want to beautify Toledo and strengthen our neighborhoods.
I set an aspirational goal of guaranteed access to prekindergarten education for all Toledo children. Yes, that is a difficult thing to accomplish but I believe as a city we are strong enough and smart enough to make it happen.
Toledo is a safe city. Due to hardworking Toledo Police officers, 2017 showed a 17 percent decrease in total shootings since 2015 and a 9 percent decrease since 2016. Also, people shot were down 2 percent as compared to 2016. I know there is more to do and I promise the police will have my full support. We will embrace more community policing efforts, have relationships in the neighborhoods, and talk more to business owners.
We should all be proud of the strides Toledo has made in recent years. We know that we must do more. I am confident that together, we can continue to advance our collective mission, and I look forward to the work ahead.
Mayor’s Office News
Mayor Kapszukiewicz on Friday introduced the city to Katy Crosby, our new chief of staff. Ms. Crosby is the executive director of the City of Dayton Human Relations Council.
“I am very excited about this opportunity to use my diverse experience to implement the mayor’s ambitious plan for Toledo,” Ms. Crosby said. “Toledo has a lot of similarities to Dayton, including a welcoming community, minor league baseball team, booming downtown development, and a great waterfront. I am looking forward to making new friends and playing an important role in Toledo’s continued growth.” Ms. Crosby’s first official day as chief of staff will be March 5. She will be in Toledo periodically before that date to meet with officials and community members.


“Wednesdays with Wade ” will start in February.
These will be community meetings held on the first Wednesday of every month from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. at a different library branch in the city. Here is the schedule for the first four months of the year: Feb. 7 at Heatherdowns Branch Library; March 7 at Washington Branch Library; April 4 at Sanger Branch Library, and May 2 at West Toledo Branch Library. 
Streets, Bridges, and Harbor
City workers filled 1,037 potholes from Jan. 1 to Jan. 18. The next day, on Jan. 19, workers did a pothole blitz on the Anthony Wayne Trail and used 8 tons of cold-patch asphalt.
Public Utilities
Toledo Water Distribution crews have worked multiple shifts to repair more than 95 water main breaks between Jan. 1 and Jan. 18.
Residents are understandably relieved when extremely cold temperatures return to balmier temperatures, but city water distribution crews brace to make water main repairs after freeze-thaw cycles. The freeze-thaw cycle can catch citizens off guard who think that warmer temperatures will prevent the refreezing of private water lines and meters. Lines that have already frozen and thawed are at risk of refreezing until the air temperatures remain above 32 degrees for two weeks. Residents should run a trickle of cold water in a faucet in the basement or a bathtub to keep the water flowing.
Plan Commission
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, received approval from the City Plan Commission to commence with its project in Toledo. Engineers working on plans for construction of the $700 million iron-processing plant on a former refinery site on the Toledo-Oregon border met with city building officials on Jan. 17 to discuss submitting site plans and site plan review. The company selected a site owned since 2008 by the Toledo Lucas County Port Authority for its new factory. The city is excited about this project. More info can be found here: clevelandcliffs.com

From Councilwoman Cecelia M. Adams 
The city’s EMT Student Cohort started on Jan. 8. Fourteen students qualified and have been attending classes regularly at Owens Community College. This is a first of its kind in Toledo. When this college credit plus program is completed in the spring, these students will receive emergency medical training - basic (EMT - B) certificates. These certifications will allow them to become more highly-qualified candidates for a new Toledo fire or police class. This effort grew out of concern for more diversity in both our Fire Department and Police Department, especially since the last employee hired under the consent decree retired two summers ago. My council committee worked diligently with Toledo Public Schools, Owens, the fire department, Police department, law department, human relations, the Civil Service Commission, and the unions representing police officers and firefighters to make this happen.  
Mayor proposed budget task force between the administration and city council

Fire
State Representative Michael Ashford, along with Toledo Fire & Rescue Department members and local elected officials, on Jan. 8 announced the unveiling of the new "Toledo Firefighters J. Dickman and S. Machcinski Memorial Highway" sign on I-75. Toledo Fire & Rescue Department members participated in the dedication. The families of Dickman and Machcinski were presented with a small version of the sign that will be placed on a stretch of I-75 between Nebraska Avenue and Monroe Street.

Toledo Fire & Rescue Department Public Information Officer Dennis Kookoothe helped representatives from ProMedica and Safe Kids Greater Toledo on Jan. 4 install child passenger seats at Station 12. The department is very proud to participate in this program that promotes the safety of children in and around vehicles. Safe Kids Greater Toledo offers free car safety seat checks throughout the community where parents and caregivers can have their child’s car seat inspected to ensure that it is the correct car seat for the child, have it checked for recalls, checked to make sure it is installed correctly, and if needed, can purchase a new car seat or booster seat. Safe Kids Greater Toledo also provides education regarding safety in and around cars, including topics such as Hyperthermia and Never Leaving a Child Alone, “Back Over / Front Over,” and Trunk Entrapment. For more information, contact Safe Kids Greater Toledo at 419-291-5993.
Toledo in the News:
Mayor Kapszukiewicz names chief of staff

Toledo honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

City employee John Willard went the extra mile

Two Toledo firefighters honored with memorial highway sign

Toledo mayor rides bus to work once a week, says city’s future hinges on public transit