Is Our Mayor Sleeping On The Second Floor Of City Hall At Night Too? Including On Holiday Weekends?

 

It's not unusual to see our mayor's personal car parked in one of his two designated parking spaces directly behind City Hall late at night on just about any day of the week. Or on a Saturday or Sunday morning, exactly as I noticed his car parked this morning.  (There's also a space for the mayor in the parking lot.)  In other words, our new mayor, who lives in a house he owns just a 5-minute walk from his place of employment, has decided that the two parking spaces behind City Hall reserved for his one car are his 24/7 personal parking spaces, whether or not he is working on making Hudson a better place to live and do business in, and even if he is out wining and dining in town or sleeping in his bed three blocks away.  He has decided that leaving his car parked behind City Hall while he sleeps at home is perfectly acceptable, implying that every employee working at City Hall ought to take advantage of the situation.  

They're On Different Planets. Perhaps In Separate Galaxies! It's The Hudson, NY, Common Council!

Early this week, I saw another youngster on an electrified two-wheeled vehicle blow through one of the four stop signs at 6th & State with no apparent fear of being killed or getting caught by the police.  No helmet, dressed in black, on a hybrid type scooter with seat.  Then he zipped past two DO NOT ENTER signs on his way to Columbia, Warren, or Union.  I'm almost certain I've seen this person do the same thing on at least two other occasions recently. And what would or should a Hudson cop in a multi-ton vehicle do if they see such a clear traffic violation?  Chase the violator down a one-way street headed the wrong direction to somehow stop him and have a talk with him, perhaps issue a ticket of some sort? 

CLOSED AGAIN! SURPRISED? GET USED TO IT!

I'm not sure how long the Huddson Parking Bureau has been closed to the public this week, but it is closed today and, according to an automated email response I received from the bureau, it will reopen Tuesday (Monday is a holiday).  Word on the sidewalk is that the Parking Bureau Clerk, Emily, is pregnant. It will be interesting to see who, if anyone, fills in for her when she goes on maternity leave, which could last as long as 6 months.  Right now, there is no one to take her place behind the window when she is gone for whatever reason.  The public relies on that bureau and that office being open at all times when it is supposed to be.  No one should be driving over there to find out no one is available to help.  Allowing the office to be closed is rude, disrespectful and disgraceful.  It's no surprise that HPD Captain David Miller is involved with the Parking Bureau (though he does not work for the bureau). 

How Dangerous, Narrow, and Speedy Is Green Street? Ask Jason Foster, Not Rob Perry!

A few months ago, during a Legal Committee meeting, 3rd ward council member (and Green Street resident) Jason Foster did his best to convince Margaret Morris that a yellow median line and shoulder lines were needed on Green Street to prevent crashes and slow down traffic. (There are zero marking on Green.  It's insane that there isn't a yellow median line, particularly for the bend.)  To prove his point, Jason provided two pictures of vehicle crashes on Green Street, each involving a parked car that was rammed into that he opined might have been prevented with pavement markings.  Jason also said that he was provided the pictures by the Hudson Police Department as a result of a Freedom of Information Law request he had made for them.  I don't recall where things were left after Jason's presentation, but I do know that this issue has not come up again at a Legal Committee meeting.  And for good reason.

The Absolute Insanity of Our Truck Route. Not To Worry, Though -- Margaret Morris Mentioned Something About It A few Months Ago!

Minutes after I left Stewart's this morning, where 7 or 8 Hudson cops were having their annual 2-hour meet-and-greet ("Coffee With A Cop"!) and 4 police vehicles were parked in the always busy and often full parking lot, I came across a tractor trailer pulling a U-turn around the triangle at the bottom of Columbia.  This was a first for me, though I'm sure it's happened many times. Come to think of it, that might be the only place in town that a big rig driver can make a (illegal) U-turn... or even consider attempting it.

Dear Common Council "President" Margaret Morris!

I'm sorry to bother you, Margaret, but I have just a few important questions that I feel require answers from you, an elected city official who owns a Hudson property that abuts two sidewalks.  The issues I bring your way, as I can only assume you will agree, are central to Hudson's public infrastructure, well-being (fiscal and otherwise), and future prosperity and success.  For reasons that I cannot understand, you appear to be ignoring these critical issues.  Thus, the questions for you.

For how many more months will the wooden pallet be leaning against your fence for all the world to walk past and see?  Would you be okay if every property owner in town were so sloppy and inconsiderate?  Isn't the message you're sending out to the world that you don't care what Hudson looks like or how messy it is?  Who are you hoping removes that pallet from your property, Margaret?  Or do you not care if it ever gets removed from public view?  What is the pallet there for?  Who is it there for?  The eyes of passers-by, to enhance the beauty of downtown Hudson?

(I took the picture of your pallet on September 14th, at least 2 weeks after I first noticed it in the same spot.)

ALSO

Who Invited Tesla To Offer Free (Supervised) Rides In Their Driverless Car, The Latest Oktoberfest Tradition?

Were you among the brave and fortunate few to take a ride in a "supervised" driverless Tesla during the Upper Depot Brewery's Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday? No, me neither!