Assessments on Reseda Merchants

* Re “A Modest Renaissance in Reseda,” Dec. 1.

No, I will not clean the sidewalk in front of my store. I have owned a business on Sherman Way in Reseda for 10 years. The merchants pay an assessment to the city of Los Angeles to have the sidewalks washed once a week. This service was discontinued in August 1993, but the city continues to assess, we continue to pay and receive no service. Where does this money go? Will we ever see it again? Will they ever use this money to clean the sidewalks again?

Regarding the flowers in the median strip on Sherman Way: In the fall of 1993 I attended a Business Watch meeting in which the city told us they were planning to remove the shrubbery in the median strip, replace it with stamped concrete and leave small stretches of ground for planting flowers, to be maintained by the merchants. So far as I know, merchants were never contacted or organized. The project began in January 1994. The city ripped out the shrubbery, replanted a few plants and put some stamped concrete in place. They finished the job and left. Later on during an Operation Sparkle, plants were planted. They died a few months later because of poor planting procedures and because some of the sprinklers don’t work. A few months later, volunteers tried again. Again, some of the plants died for lack of water. The city has been asked repeatedly to repair the sprinklers, but nothing happens.

The Renaissance ladies are doing a wonderful job and are greatly appreciated. I just wish the city would repair all the sprinklers in the business district so that plants could thrive and survive.

One other point: I purchased several large pots, planted them and placed them in front of my own store and by the rear entrance. They looked lovely. They were stolen in the middle of the night.

JOYCE HAWES

Reseda