INKSTER, Mich. – A man who grew up in Inkster said the city he once considered a paradise is now almost unrecognizable, with some lots that have trash in them and areas where some utility poles are leaning.
Milton Hunter moved to Inkster years ago and remembers the neighborhood as clean and orderly.
“When I first came out here, I originally came from Detroit, so this was like amazing to me,” Hunter said.
Now, he points to vacant lots with discarded mattresses and other trash as evidence of how much things have changed. One lot filled with debris is not far from another, and Hunter said the deterioration is more visible in certain areas.
And when asked to describe the difference between the Inkster of his childhood and today, Hunter didn’t hesitate.
“It’s no life,” he said.
Hunter’s concerns go beyond dumping. He said some utility poles in the area are leaning, while others are tangled in overgrown tree limbs. A truck driver who passed through the area, but declined to go on camera, told Local 4 he believes the condition of the poles and trees contributes to power outages.
“If they do the preventative maintenance then we won’t have that problem at the end,” Hunter said.
In response to Hunter’s concerns, Local 4 contacted the city of Inkster to ask what residents can do when they see problem areas.
A worker who answered the phone said residents who notice problems can call the city’s ordinance hotline or email photos documenting the problems.
The city also noted DTE Energy is responsible for maintaining utility poles.
A DTE spokesperson said there is no failure risk associated with the slight leaning of poles in the area. The spokesperson said trees are trimmed around DTE equipment located at the tops of poles. She also said the other wires connected to the pole belong to a telecom company. And that anyone with concerns can contact them at 1-800-477-4747.
Hunter said he wants to see more from both officials and his neighbors. He believes real change will require both government attention and community involvement.
“In order for anything to change in the city of Inkster, the community has to be a part of the change,” he said.
Local 4 again reached out to the city with additional questions about Hunter’s concerns. A staff member took down our information, but said she was not at liberty to share the contact information of the staff member who media would speak to.