Mary Dils, owner of Sierra Adventure Outfitters, has hired help to clean up the sidewalks of her storefront on School Street. A new partnership with the City of Lodi through Central Valley Waste Services could provide cleaner sidewalks and job opportunities for disabled people in the area. (Brian Feulner/News-Sentinel)

A cleaner Downtown Lodi

Partnership will offer skills to those with cerebral palsy

Cindy Lewis, owner of The Clothes Closet for more than 20 years, simply can't remember the last time she saw clean sidewalks near her store.

"I don't see them anymore," she said. Leaves, gum and other litter collects on the sidewalk in front of her business. "I really think sidewalks are city property and need to be maintained by the city."

In recent years, the city of Lodi has cut back funding for cleaning. A new partnership between the city and a nonprofit could provide cleaner sidewalks and job opportunities for individuals who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Lodi Public Works Director Wally Sandelin said a contract with Central Valley Waste Services includes an annual payment of $470,000 for general street cleaning and maintenance. About $30,000 of that will pay for workers with the United Cerebral Palsy of San Joaquin, Calaveras and Amador counties to help clean the Downtown area.

Leslie Heier, associate director for the group, said the jobs are perfect for the workers.

Beginning Nov. 1, at least four people will work for up to 88 hours a month with a coach in the Downtown area. Heier said the workers will improve their skills and contribute to the community. The coach will provide transportation, physical help and moral support for the disabled workers.

"It's wonderful," she said. "It's an empowering tool for them to do this."

The city is exempted from paying labor-related expenses like benefits and insurance, Heier said. For additional funding for coaches and labor expenses, United Cerebral Palsy taps state and regional sources. Because of that, Sandelin said it is cost effective.

To save money, the city decreased its focus of cleaning Downtown over the years, but the new deal will "ramp up" cleaning efforts as early as next week, even though the contract with Central Valley Waste Services will officially go into effect Jan. 1, 2009, Sandelin said.

"Our emphasis on Downtown cleanup is in part because we are anticipating new funding," Sandelin said.

Among other street and sidewalk cleaning services, the funds also go toward tree trimming, which could alleviate the amount of falling leaves that tend to add up near and in stores.

Sandelin said the city and Street Division has gradually decreased hours put toward sidewalk cleaning. In the last two years, a city worker responsible for basic cleaning went from 40-hour weeks to only 12 hours of cleaning in 2007.

With the exception of the cerebral palsy workers and special city events, the city has generally cleaned streets on a "as needed basis," said city spokesman Jeff Hood.

Sandelin said municipal code calls for business owners to clean up sidewalks near their fronts, and they have.

In fact, Mary Dils, owner of the Sierra Adventure Outfitters contracted help last week to clean her store front off School Street.

"I basically clean the entire corner," she said of her business. "I do it because I want our businesses to look nice."

Tom Kohnlhepp, owner of Tom's Used Books, said chipping in to clean is just a matter of being a good citizen.

"I'm happy when the city does come by to clean up, though," Kohnlhepp said.

Another small-business owner of Hummelking Antiques, Alex Vaishville, said he can't complain with the lack of city cleaning but would like to see city cleaners working the sidewalks at least once a week.

"They used to come more frequently," Vaishville said.