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KCMO Public Works: Funds available for Westside 'paper street' cleanup

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — People in the Westside neighborhood say they've waited for years for the city to clean up an illegal dumping spot.

The area on 21st Street near Mercier Place is a so-called "paper street”: the city designated it as a street, but that never happened. Instead, it became a dumping ground.

"It just doesn't make sense. you can see the new sign that they've put out but I  don't see any more progress, “ said Harry Romero, who grew up on this block.

He describes it as an eyesore that they’ve dealt with for decades.

“Kids can't even play in your back yard because you've got garbage in that alleyway, you've got rodents; it's just a big nuisance. It really needs to be taken care of,” Romero said.

41 Action News first reported about the problem last spring.

Previous story: Residents in KCMO's Westside neighborhood upset about illegal dump site called 'paper street'

A cleanup was scheduled, but both the city and people who live here say it didn't happen until the fall. Even then, crews could only do so much.

"There's some major overgrowth. Actual trees have grown up in that area. It's something that's beyond the equipment that we have immediately on hand,” Sean Demory, a spokesperson with KCMO’s Public Works Department, said.

Public Works said there are now $247,000 in the 2017 budget set aside for improvements in the Westside.

"We're going to sit down and meet with residents on the westside and talk how we can triage and use that money, what needs to be done first?” said Jolie Justus, KCMO City Council member with the 4th District.

Justus said Friday she is determined to fix the problem.

"People who know me know that I don't give up," Justus said. "Intractable problems are sort of my specialty, so  I  look forward to working with the neighborhood."

Romero hopes that’s the case.

"Everything past Summit [Street] on this side, we’re forgotten about. Look what we've got to go through just to get this done. But I bet if it was over there, it would be done fast,” Romero said.

Justus said she’s working to set up meetings with the community where issues like the paper street can be addressed.

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Andres Gutierrez can be reached at andres.gutierrez@kshb.com

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