Spring 2011 NEW Program Yields Results for St. Louis Area

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday received a presentation on the outcomes of the Spring 2011 Neighborhood Empowerment Works (NEW) Program. Officials say the NEW Program is designed to enhance the quality of life for residents through the concentrated delivery of services and programs provided by the City. Working in partnership with the neighborhoods, the City’s goal is to raise awareness of code and zoning ordinances, provide information on accessing City services and promote clean and safe neighborhoods.

During the 11th NEW Program, officials say, City of Tyler Departments came together and made many improvements to a neighborhood in City Council District Two. The boundaries of the neighborhood selected as the 11th NEW were Walton Road east to Walker Street, south to Foster Street, west to Barnes Street, southwest to Old Noonday Road, south to Luther Street, west to S.E. Palmer Highway (Highway 155) and northeast to Walton Road.

Officials say the NEW program enhances the quality of life for Tyler residents – one neighborhood at a time – by concentrating City services in a specific area for four weeks. Various City departments use information gathered from the neighborhood meeting, as well as an examination of the area, to identify services that could make an immediate impact on the neighborhood.

Outcomes from the 11th NEW program include:
· 24 junk vehicles were tagged for removal;
· 92 lots with high vegetation were mowed;
· 31 trashed lots were cleaned;
· 1,844 square feet of street base repairs were performed;
· Three and one-half miles of right-of-way were mowed;
· Six street signs were replaced;
· Five street lights were repaired;
· Three and one-half miles of streets were swept;
· 2,200 feet of sewer main were cleaned and inspected;
· The Tyler Police Department issued 35 written warnings and made eight arrests. They supplied a total of 92 man hours;
· The Solid Waste Department removed 738.5 yards of solid waste; and,
· Trees were trimmed and 194 cubic yards of waste removed.

“Since its inception, the NEW program has been an important tool to stop neighborhood decline in its tracks,” said City Council Member Donald Sanders. “By involving the neighbors and leveraging City services, the program has proven to be successful in encouraging reinvestment in Tyler’s older neighborhoods. Get rid of the grime…get rid of the crime.” The next NEW program will begin this spring and will be held in District Four.