Monday, January 9, 2012

Borough Council of Dormont

1444 Hillsdale Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15216

Dear Borough Council of Dormont,

I am writing in regard to the street sweeping schedule in Dormont, which has become so convoluted that it is almost comical. Earlier this year, we were issued a notice in the form of a car window flier advising us that street sweeping was coming. Luckily I was actually parked in Dormont at the time and received the notice, unlike all of the residents who weren't. The next month, I accidentally forgot about street sweeping on the first Tuesday and was issued a $25.00 parking ticket. Okay, fair enough. Earlier today I remembered about the street sweeps and moved my car to the other side of the street, as previously instructed. Myself and a handful of other residents on the street who did the same still received a parking ticket.

I was not informed that the procedure was changed back again to moving off the street entirely until I went to the police station absolutely confused and upset about it. I told the officer there I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out any way not to get a parking ticket simply for being a resident of Dormont who works second shift and doesn't come out of the apartment before 8:00 a.m. He informed me that they “weren't happy about it either,” and that the rules keep getting changed and that residents aren't able to keep up.

After going back later to check, the street signs have been changed again (second time in two years) back to the old/new rule of vacating the street entirely on these days. Okay, so the rule is posted. Are residents really expected to check these signs daily to see if they've changed? They look nearly identical to anyone not examining them word-for-word. Even the window flier I lucked into receiving did not mention this rule change.

I really believe this is the kind of crap that encourages people to move out of a place like Dormont. At face value, paying a nominal sum for a parking pass seems like a good deal. Little do residents know, they will be paying a hidden tax in the form of parking tickets due to these perpetually changing rules. I have lived in Dormont for three years and generally find it to be a nice neighborhood, but I really see no difference between these street sweeping tickets and a thief stealing money out of my back pocket. I intend to move out of Dormont soon, and will gladly cite this as a reason to stay out for anyone thinking of moving here. I am requesting remuneration in the form of $25.00 for your lack of sufficient notice for this rule change. You may send it to my address below.

Bethel Park

Department of Community Services
5100 West library Avenue
Bethel Park, PA 15102 – 2787

Dear Bethel Park Department of Community Services,

I am writing to you in regard to the recycling collection on Bethel Church Road. I do not live there, but since my dad broke his hip, I have been helping to manage some of these things.

Two weeks ago, I went to collect the recycling from the bottom of the driveway and several plastic containers were strewn around. I assumed this was some sort of mistake, or maybe they weren't taken because they were frozen inside the bin. I was irritated by this, but I collected them back up and disregarded it.

This week, I came over to find that no less than 20 plastic items (see attached) were strewn across the yard. No ice, no freezing this week. I had to stand out there by the dangerous roadside and pick these things up, dirtying my work clothes.

I will not include the specific address on Bethel Church here, as to spare my parents against any sort of retaliation. I do not like writing letters like this and I don't want anyone to get in trouble, but I just can't understand what is going on here.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Citizens Bank

Ms. Ellen Alemany
Chairman and CEO, Citizens Financial Group
One Citizens Plaza
Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Monday, January 16, 2012

Dear Ms. Alemany,

Several months ago, I wrote a letter highlighting my disgust with the bank’s decision to stop sending paper statements as a standard business practice, instead charging $36.00 a year to print and mail 12 sheets of paper. I believed that the bank was using “Go Green” as a facade to cheat bank patrons and cut financial corners.

Now, disgusted as I may have been, I at least assumed it was because the bank was experiencing some financial concerns and couldn’t afford the cost of printing and mailing if it intended to remain financially viable.

You can imagine my surprise when I learned that the bank had recently printed and mailed tons of "Cash Back, Automatically!" advertisements to its customers. It is a shame that the bank that supposedly can’t afford to send us paper statements, a normal function and service of a bank, can still, on the other hand, afford to solicit its patrons with unwanted junk mail.

Citizens has always been a reliable bank with good customer service. It is unfortunate that it has, of late, seemed to develop a priority problem, and its patrons have taken a clear back seat.

Please share my thoughts with your fellow decision-makers.

Sincerely,