Union City council members got an earful from two determined residents of High Point Commons subdivision Tuesday, expressing concerns over what they called government inefficiency, shoddy development and increasing crime in their neighborhood. The council made no response to the concerns, though one council member said at meeting’s end that those concerns had no fallen on deaf ears.

Aishah Ayers and Taleah Howard said they decided to take their concerns before the City Council after requesting a meeting with the mayor but never hearing from him. Howard spoke first, citing frustration over a variety of city-related issues.

“Having been a resident of Union city for nearly two years I’ve seen enough cause for alarm to pack my bags and move my family. After watching the events of the last four weeks unfold, it is confirmed that we are in crisis mode,” Howard said as she took the podium, referencing an unheeded plea to the council last month for a city-initiated plan to address recreation needs. “The issue goes beyond residents of Union City looking for recreation options. The issues are deeper and more troublesome. In short, the way that business is conducted in Union City is not efficient, and antiquated at best.”

Howard asked when residents would be able to access an informative city Web site and be able to view council meetings over the Internet or some other medium.

“When will you, as elected leaders, be accountable and transparent?” Howard asked. “This goes beyond city council meetings and Robert’s Rules of Order. At his campaign Web site, Mayor Ralph Moore stated, ‘Another area of high importance is the continued improvement of the quality of life of all residents. Young families must be able to do more than survive financially. They must be allowed to live in a community that offers improved parks and amenities, increased safety, clean neighborhoods, improved and re-surfaced streets and opportunities to work and shop in close proximity to where they live.’”

“In reality,” Howard continued,” the lives of Union City residents cannot be summarized as quality. We live next to investor slum lords, youth run amuck due to boredom, new housing that is blighted, shoddy work in developments only two to three years old, lack of accountability from developers and housing builders, unused greenspace, potholes and other street issues that cause damage to cars and a strip of fast food restaurants and nail shops. To meet our needs we are forced to frequent Camp Creek Marketplace or the Fayette Pavilion. Is this what was meant by close proximity?”

Howard said the only city staff helping answer residents’ question and provide information was Special Projects Coordinator Stephanie Gaines, who has been a consistent resource in the quest for those answers. Gaines understands community organization and actively participates with residents and listens to their concerns.

“You were wise to hire her. But we elected you, and we expect more,” Howard said, ending her thought provoking and impassioned remarks. “This could be accomplished by hosting town hall meetings, establishing email addresses and supporting the formation of neighborhood groups. We would like to be a part of the solution. Progressive leadership, along with an empowered and active community make for a better place to live, not just for those who are in the know or their friends.”

Following Howard during the public comments portion of the meeting was Aishah Ayers, also a resident at High Point Commons. Ayers provided a list of ongoing criminal activities that jeopardize the safety of families in her neighborhood. Those criminal acts, said Ayers, now prevent her from allowing her children to play in their own backyard.

“I keep the crime report because it is so frequent in our neighborhood. In the last 10 days we’ve had numerous crimes. On April 13, teenagers fired about six shots on Diamond Bluff and police responded. One teen was caught, others are still being sought. On April 10 police were called when a group of teenagers with BB/pellet guns shot the back of the homes of some of our neighbors. During the week of April 8, another stolen car was brought to 3251 Diamond Bluff, a vacant house, that is a target for crime,” Ayers told the council.

She cited a vacant residence at 3239 Diamond Bluff that children frequent. Ayers continued, citing neighbors that returned home to find their yard soaked in water after trespassers entered their property and turned on the water from an outside faucet. This is because children do not go to school, instead walking around freely, she said. Ayers cited other crime concerns at the March regular session, including witnessing occasions where people had been seen openly entering more than a dozen mailboxes and stealing mail.

Ayers said Gaines has been supportive of neighborhood issues, as was Union City Police. Like Howard who spoke before her, Ayers recognized that some of the neighborhood issues fall to the responsibility of parents. But others issues such as increasing crime, a lack of recreation and allowing shoddy residential construction are areas where the mayor and city council is accountable and should, at least, be willing to listen to residents.

“We cannot let our children go out to play in High Point Commons. I would rather live some place other than here even though I own a business here and I’m a homeowner. But nothing short of moving is my only option,” Ayers said. “All of us need to live in a quality area. We’re asking for help from the city council, not to be ignored anymore.”

No one on the council addressed Ayers’ and Howard’s many concerns. At the end of the meeting council member Angelette Mealing said their comments had not fallen on deaf ears, adding that she wanted to be part of the solution to their concerns.

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