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Council approves $50K contract for 'Eye Citizen' crime alert system

On Tuesday, City Council voted to approve a $50,000 contract with Tele-Home, LLC to operate a hybrid text alert and e-mail program allowing Toledoans to opt in to be informed about select 911 calls.
Toledoans could opt in to be informed about select 911 calls through this crime alert system.

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Questions are being raised about a crime text-alert program going citywide, and Councilman Tom Waniewski abstaining from voting on legislation he presented to council.

On Tuesday, City Council voted to approve a $50,000 contract with Tele-Home, LLC to operate a hybrid text alert and e-mail program allowing Toledoans to opt in to be informed about select 911 calls.

A pilot program has been conducted in the Old Orchard neighborhood.

Tom Waniewski abstained from that vote and says he owns a 1 percent stake in the company.

Councilwoman Lindsay Webb said she has many questions surrounding the proposal, in which she was one of two Council members to vote no.

"The trouble for me was first and foremost, it never went to bid. There was never an RPF. It was a no-bid contract. Tom Waniewski was one of the first votes cast and when he abstained it really took me by surprise," said Webb.

The city law department is recommending to the mayor he veto the legislation based on the questions surrounding the selection process.

Waniewski says he is not trying to make a buck off the deal, and is willing to sell his stake in Tele-Home and have the administration re-work the legislation. 

Read more on the Eye Citizen program:

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