you get what you pay for

When we first moved to Westerville, R & M were shocked and I was appalled to discover how much the property taxes are. To say they were the highest that I had ever experienced is an understatement.

But within only a few weeks we found that, really and truly, ‘you get what you pay for.’ The city services in Westerville are the best I’ve ever seen. Within just a few days of our moving here, Michael was in the back yard with the dogs. He was in the process of putting up our fence, but there were as yet to be discovered gabs between the ground and the bottom of the fence. Sebastian found one of them while Michael was distracted and was gone! Panic ensued!

Michael ran in the house and grabbed his tennis shoes instead of flip-flops and ran out the front door to go and find him. In out little loop off Smoke Burr there was a city police car parked and another van from Westerville Animal Control. Of course, Michael knew why they were there. He hurried down to them and told the officer, “I think you have our dog.” Sure enough, there was Sebastian incarcerated in the back seat of the police care just like any common felon. Lol the police officr had called animal control to come and get him when he was found trotting along SUNBURY! Of all directions to go—Sunbury is the busiest street in the whole town! The officer had picked Sebastian up to keep him safe! The animal control only asked to see his license tag. Sebastian didn’t have his collar on!

Michael ran in and asked me if I knew where Rachael had put their dogs’ tags when we moved. I had no idea. All of the dogs had Tusc. county tags that first year. As long as they were moving around I kept getting the tags. Rachael had put the envelope with the tags in them ‘away.’ Michael rummaged in the obvious places and finally resorted to taking the collar and tag off Gable to show to animal control. (You better believe Rachael found Sebastian’s the same night!--the little escape artist!) Both animal control and the police were pleasant and helpful. Amazing.

I wrote last fall about Gable’s little escapade with the police when he took off on a jaunt around the neighborhood because a utility person had not latched the gate! Why do these things always happen when they’ve just had a bath or for some reason don’t have a collar on? We keep collars and tags on the all the time it seems. Anyway, the police had found Gabriel that time too. They called us the next morning and said they thought they’d found him. When they found out that I couldn’t come and get him, they brought him to me! Never in 65 years have I heard of police being so helpful and cooperative! Never!  And forget about the police returning your dog! The best they do is call the dog catcher!

And now the epitome of community service! The Westerville Electric company has been burying the electric wires in the community. We got a notice last week or two weeks ago that they would be doing the work. Get this! The notice said that they would be taking video so that any property disturbance could be returned to its original appearance! Amazing.

Every town I’ve ever lived in has said, “Oh by the way we are fixing electric wires, you’ll have to replace your landscaping, we had to mess it up to fix the wires.” And they left the home owner with the mess.

Westerville came in and worked all day getting the wires buried. They had to take out the whole corner of Barry’s fence but they put it back! And fixed everything up again just like it was and were apologetic about it! Maybe they do that where you live, but never where I’ve lived!

A couple times we’ve had a problem with the power and sometimes one of us had to call to say this is our problem, do we need to let you know. Now I’ve called AEP before when my power was out. I NEVER got a pleasant answer; usually it was a very short response that said basically, “Keep you pants on, whiney. We’re working on it.” Click. Barely civil, never mind polite or forthcoming with information.

Westerville is a different story. Not only is the representative polite, but gives you complete information about why the power is off and when you can expect it to come back on. THEN they ask you if there is anything else they can do! Mind boggling.

Roads are always cleared before any of the surrounding area. R &M say that you can tell exactly where the city limit line is drawn because you hit snow and ice and desolation!

Any kind of trash or lawn clippings or shrub and tree trimmings can be put at the curb with trash and are picked up with no complaints or hassle about whether or not they are eligible for pick up. We even put an old chair down there; a truck came by an hour or so after the trash pick up and got it. Even the masses of trash accompanying Christmas are handled quickly and efficiently!

Trash never sits by the road for three days making the homeowner call and say why hasn’t my trash been picked up, only to be told—oh we had a new man on. Your trash was on the wrong side of the mailbox and he didn’t know if it was supposed to be picked up! Idiots! It was on my property in MY registered trash container that THEY supplied. Stupid.

Like I say, the taxes may be high, but the standard of service is equally high. And there is a lot to be said for civility and courtesy in all situations.