![]() ![]() The first-term District 1 council member said historical disenfranchisement has led too many west-siders to stay home on Election Day, not pick up the phone when there’s crime in their neighborhood, and not submit a complaint when their roads need fixing - even as potholes create real hurdles for them. Petro, who represents the Rose Park, Jordan Meadows and Westpointe neighborhoods along with part of Fairpark, said the dearth of pothole complaints from the west side speaks to a long-standing lack of institutional trust. “We are showing up where people are in an effort to let them know that their voices matter to us,” Mendenhall said, “and we want to engage with them.” The mayor said a multilingual team of liaisons is out in the community, meeting residents in person to better understand their needs and encourage them to speak up. ![]() Mendenhall’s administration, meanwhile, is working to address barriers to digital communication and boost the usage and understanding of technology across the city. Jorge Chamorro, director of the city’s Public Services Department, said crews put extra emphasis on areas that they haven’t already visited or where they haven’t received complaints. The mayor said 70% of the filled potholes come courtesy of crews going out and finding the mini - and not-so-mini - craters on their own. “That’s why you see us repairing streets equitably across the city, not just according to complaints.” “There is a divide in our city, but it does not represent accurately the proportionate needs in the city,” she said. That doesn’t mean the city isn’t focusing on fixing west-side roads. She acknowledged that residents in some areas have more time to send complaints, feel a stronger connection to their government and have the technology handy to notify the city. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the data disparity in where complaints are submitted isn’t unusual. (Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) A Salt Lake City crews fills potholes along North Star Drive near Redwood Road on Wednesday, Feb.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |