Southwest Lansing (MI) and my neighborhood

In this post I wrote just before lunch today, I describe and I show on a short video a gushing water leak through a street level valve on Dunlap Street at Deerfield Avenue.  Seeing the volume of water and knowing that my neighbor called and got less than a minimal explanation, I was concerned.

Here’s what I did: 1) I took a short video of the leaking water to demonstrate my concern and to show the location; 2)  I posted the video on two of my blogs, one for our Averill Woods neighborhood and the other which is my personal blog; 3)  I emailed City Council-members A’Lynne Robinson who represents our third ward and Carol Wood who represents the whole city as an at-large member and here’s the response:

Within a few minutes, I got email responses from both council members showing that they had asked the Lansing Board of Water and Light for an explanation along with a link to my posts and video showing my concern.

And within the next two hours, I got a comment on my personal blog from the BWL’s Mark Nixon explaining what workers were doing in our neighborhood and how it was affecting that particular street valve and what would be done if it didn’t correct itself.

I was impressed by the response.  Now I realize that not every response will be this quick.  I’m sure there will be times where other residents’ problems will be deemed of more immediate need than mine.

But our city government does work.  I want to thank A’Lynne, Carol and Mark.    I will show the response to my neighbors and I will let them know that the process does work.