Letters to the editor

City staff is courteous and helpful

To the editor:

I want to join Yves L'Esperance in his paean to the efficiency and courtesy of our City.

Whenever I call, a real live person answers, and no matter how trivial or complicated my question may be, it is dealt with promptly, expertly and helpfully.

This is just one — but a very important — element in the pleasure of living in Westmount, and, in my experience, it is unique: I cannot think of any other bureaucracy, institution or business that would even come close to Westmount's way of dealing with its public.

With admiration, gratitude and, yes, affection,

Maria Jerabek

De Maisonneuve Boulevard



Building in bad need of inspectors and staff

To the editor

Westmount City Hall has for some time been delinquent in its duties, the result being that apartment buildings such as the one I reside in on Sherbrooke Street are badly in need of services which tenants are not getting and pleas to management fall on very deaf ears.

I have lived in the above-mentioned building for about 20 years and have yet to meet a building inspector. The ventilation system is supposed to be vacuumed out once a year but I would estimate that it hasn't been done for almost 10 years.

Meanwhile, there is no superintendent in this building and hasn't been for many months, though the law says we are entitled to one. Round the clock security advertised by the company that manages this building does not exist. We can phone out to a cleaning man who lives elsewhere.

The tenants in this building are primarily elderly and are greatly alarmed at the lack of staff to assist in case of emergency during the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. The régie du bàtiment states that a plan for evacuation by staff must be in place; at night we have no staff.

If Westmount City Hall was doing its job, it would be aware of this situation. We need building inspectors on the job ASAP.

Meanwhile, tenants are left to appeal to management, who offer little in response.

Paula J. McKeown

Sherbrooke Street