Why Are We Short $3,000 Again This Year?

According to DPW records, there are 7 private trash haulers competing for business in the City of Hudson.  How does DPW know this?  Because if a garbage company wants to do business in Hudson, it must be issued a DPW Trash Haulers Permit to do so.  Any company regularly servicing dumpsters in the alleys, small plastic trash and recycling containers in the alleys and along the curbs, or picking up food waste to be composted, is required to pay for a permit every year.  The fee for a Trash Haulers Permit is $1,000.  Each truck doing garbage business in Hudson is supposed to have the permit displayed on its windshield.

How Much Did We Spend To Be Told What We Already Know?

As you likely recall, the City of Hudson recently hired a parking consultant to assess our parking situation and suggest improvements.  The Parking and Mobility Planner, John Forster, from the Michigan-based company Fishbeck, offered his extensive findings and recommendations at a public meeting about a month ago.  The distracted Hudson mayor and a few attentive City Hall employees attended the presentation in person, as did I.  

It Happened In City Court! Again!

On Tuesday, in Judge Connor's City Court, a few puzzling things took place.  The court is always scheduled to begin at 9 am, but Judge Connor is rarely ever close to starting on time.  Tuesday's court did not begin until 9:22, with a fairly packed courtroom waiting patiently and quietly for things to begin so they could all get the hell out of there and get on with their days.  Last Tuesday, court proceedings also began at 9:22, with (by my count) 17 defendants and 8 attorneys waiting.  A few weeks ago, Connor didn't show up until well after 9:30.  Judge Cheryl Roberts, presiding on Thursdays, almost always starts on time.  If she starts late, it is never by more than a few minutes, as was the case today.  I digress.

2 More Crashes -- Just Another Night In Hudson

This morning, I came upon evidence of 2 car crashes occurring last night.  This poor car on the 600 block of State Street, obviously parked at the time, was slammed into, and forcefully.  The rear axle appears to be bent -- it is probably a total!  There was plenty of debris on the ground surrounding the car, though the car that caused the damage was nowhere to be seen. [Update: The car is still there on Thursday afternoon, with a note on the windshield from the car owner asking for the police not to ticket the car, and that they were waiting for a response from their insurance company.  Then:  "It was a hit and run on Tuesday night."  So, no tow truck was involved.  Not yet, at least.

The Power Of The Keyboard!

This is what the HIC has 
to show for after 5 years

7 days after HUDseen's March 20th article, titled Why Does The Community Need To See This Junk For Years?, the area in front of the Hudson Islamic Center's mosque-in-progress was quite a different sight.  It is now respectable -- no more junk, no more anything, and you can actually see all of the steps.

Day 2 Of The Mudslide Response [with update]

Today is Hudson DPW's second day of dealing with the trouble caused by the mudslide which completely covered the outlet of the large pipe in the expanded Washington Street lot.  3 DPW workers were busy early this morning at the site,  and more stones had been laid to keep their machinery from sinking in the mud.  One worker, with a shovel, was up to his knees in mud and flowing water at the partially exposed end of the pipe.  Prior to the mudslide, the end of the large pipe had been fully exposed.  DEC is probably requiring our DPW to return the pipe to that condition. 

This Is What $114,000 Gets Us

 

I thought I would try my best to speak to DPW Superintendent Robert Perry about his department's efforts to deal with the effects of the mudslide in the Washington Street lot.  After taking a few pictures of DPW workers in action at the site, I walked across the street and entered the temporary location of Hudson City Hall in the Firehouse. 

One More Try At Code Enforcement

Here's a word-by-word transcript of my second attempt to get Code Enforcment to look into what, to me, clearly appears to be a code violation.  Craig Haigh raised his service window through which much of the public interacts with him, and he began the conversation.

What can I do for you?

I'm following up on last week's conversation.  I'd like to file a complaint or code violation so you can look into it.

More On That Mudslide

Last Friday, I called the NYS DEC phone number on the sign located along the exit driveway for the County DSS building.  I told someone named Jamie that there was a problem with Outfall pipe number 6, and that someone should come have a look.  Jamie told me that he would reach out to DPW Superintendent Robert Perry to find out what was going on with the pipe.  I described the mudslide to Jamie as best I could, telling him that the end of the pipe was no longer visible because of all the mud now covering it.

Why Have A Code If It Isn't Enforced?

The chapter in the City Code regarding signs is quite extensive, and so it should be.  Signs, when unregulated, tend to create clutter, aesthetic issues and other banes of modern urban life.  One issue dealt with in the Code targets signs that are no longer valid -- that is, when a business moves out, but they leave a sign, or signs, behind.  Section 17 of Chapter 244 stipulates that when a business is no longer around, the sign(s) associated with that business must be removed within 5 days.  Easy enough, right?

This Is Exactly What Galvan And City Hall Wanted, And It's Here Already

Last night at about 6pm, with the Asian restaurant on N. 7th Street doing a brisk business, on-street parking for its patrons was hard to come by.  4 cars were parked in the back yard of the vacant building at 704 Columbia Street, across from the restaurant, because none of the 20 street spaces on that block were available.  Parking by the public in this "lot" never happened prior to this year.  It is now a de facto parking lot.  About a week ago, in the early evening, I counted 7 cars parked there. (The tax bills for 704 Columbia are mailed to the owner in Coral Gables, Florida.)

Setting A Wonderful Example For The World

 

City lights: ON regularly during the day,
blue skies or not.

For most of the past 10 days, including today, I noticed that the 12 lights in the Columbia County parking lot at 6th and Columbia were off during the day, while the 14 lights in the City of Hudson's lot a half block away were on.  These are not 75-watt household bulbs.  This has been going on for years.

It Happened In City Court

In Hudson City Court on Thursday, March 16th, with Judge Cheryl Roberts presiding, it was yet another inexplicable display of the bizarre and inane.  Beyond head-scratching.

No DPW Permit! No Permission!

 

A Mudslide That Never Should Have Happened

Following up on Hudseen's March 10th post about the expansion of the dirt lot on Washington Street, across from the Firehouse, there has been some activity there recently which should concern us all, including DPW Superintendent Robert Perry.  Last year, I tried to warn City Hall about the reckless expansion of the lot, but no one seemed to care. 

Kamal's Vanity Project, Perhaps?

If you haven't viewed all 4 of the new videos on the City of Hudson website, titled the Hudson, NY Community Video Tour, I highly recommend that you do so.  If none of the videos churn your stomach, perhaps this will:  Our friends at A. Colarusso & Sons, whose trucks cause us so much trouble and who seems to be locked in never-ending lawsuits and disputes with the city regarding their trucks and their haul road, contributed money to make the videos happen.  Did Kamal Johnson ask for their support?

Infra$ructure. Infra$tructure. Infra$tructure.

The entire 500 block of State Street was repaved by Colarusso & Sons in November of 2019, just over 3 years ago.  While it is not nearly the mess that South 3rd Street is, it has its share of issues already.  Cracks abound, and there are already several patched areas. According to official documents, Colarusso was paid $72,500 for that work, paid for by State DOT funds, also known as NY State taxpayer money.  Any repairs to the street are now paid for with Hudson taxpayer funds. 

The Loudest American Flag in America! Right Here In Our Promenade Park!

Has this ever happened to you at the Promenade Park, as it does to me regularly?  You are gazing out at the million-dollar Catskill Mountains view from the fence when your attention and the quiet surrounding you are broken by a loud CLANGing sound of metal on metal from behind and above.  CLANG! A pause.  CLANG! CLANG!  Pause.  CLANG!  And on and on it goes.  You can no longer concentrate on the scenery; you no longer feel serene.  You are totally distracted by a persistent and unnatural noise.  

Is Code Enforcement Valued at Hudson City Hall? By All Appearances, No!

After 9 years of interacting with, and observing, our Code Enforcement Office, I have always felt that they are the forgotten sibling in City Hall.  The runt, if you will, that no one wants, or knows how, to deal with. 

"We Don't Do Sidewalks"

Following up on yesterday's post about the pathetic sidewalk in front of a Galvan property on Allen Street, there is an identical situation showcasing Hudson City Hall's utter lack of interest in safe, decent-looking sidewalks, and pedestrian safety.  Let me introduce you to the sidewalk in front of 516 State Street, which was once smooth and tripping hazard-free.   

Columbia County, You Have A Salt Problem

Hudson, We Have A Salt Problem

How Could I Resist?

Sharing a tortilla chip with the 
friendliest squirrel ever

 

Would This Be Acceptable On Warren Street For Even One Week?

 

Work in front of 238 Allen
in July of 2022

I think it's safe to say that the reasons for the sorry state of our sidewalks are widespread indifference and inaction from City Hall.  Not in the past, but still to this day.  Code Enforcement either can't or won't enforce the code about sidewalk repair.  Mayors talk the talk about sidewalks, then they leave office.  Committees are formed, but the alders come and go so often that nothing gets accomplished.  Then there's our Department of Public Works, which appears to not give one hoot about safe sidewalks, also known as public rights of way.  Evidence of this last point is on full display in front of 238 Allen Street, a house owned by the Galvan Foundation.

Why Does The Community Need To See This Junk For Years?

The Hudson Islamic Center (HIC) is having difficulty completing their years-old mosque building project, so they leave all their junk and construction materials out for years for all to see and walk by.  It's obscene, both on their part and on the City of Hudson's part for not doing something about it.  Can anyone leave as much junk, even construction materials and tarps and all sorts of debris, right along the sidewalk or on their front stoop for as long as they please?  Apparently, the Code Enforcement Office would say "Well, I guess so.  Nothing we can do about it, sorry."

The $outh Third $treet Fia$co (Part 2)

Hudson DPW in the process of road reconstruction of
 a street repaved less than 5 years prior by Colarusso

Following up on my February 23rd post about the pavement situation -- past, present and future -- of S. 3rd Street, I will try to keep this post briefer.  It won't be easy - there is a 5-plus-year history, unhelpful and contradictory explanations from DPW, and lots of details to keep straight.  The lowdown is that if the situation had been handled properly from the beginning by Robert Perry, we would not be in the situation we presently find ourselves in.

But, Chief Moore, Will I Get The BOOT?

 

Saturday In the Park

Sad News For Local Peach Lovers

Today at the Hudson Farmers Market, as I was paying for my apples and potatoes from Samascott, I asked the worker how things were going at the farm.  "Well," he said, "it looks like we won't have any peaches this year.  You probably won't see any in our stall this year."

Pay Them More and They Might Give A F#&%

This Makes No Sense

Following up on omissions, unhelpful inclusions, and other issues found on the CEO's Vacant Building Registry, here is a property in my neighborhood which I am all too familiar with:  538 State Street, an absolute disgrace for several years. 

What Purpose Does The CEO's Vacant Buildings Registry Serve?

 

It's Written In The Code!

 

Here is a copy of the Parking Meter Zones found throughout Hudson, as seen in Chapter 305, Section 15 of our Code, titled Establishment of Meter Zones.  Attachment A, Streets Included in Metered Area, seems to have been produced in December of 2009, 13 years ago (see bottom right).

Warren Street is the last line on the list.  Notice that parking meters are supposed to be found on Warren Street from 2nd Street to 8th Street.

The Best Way To Destroy A Building's Foundation. Especially An Old One.

How to kill a foundation
in one easy step

I bicycled past the very quiet Pocketbook Factory on 6th Street today, a construction site with many fewer workers lately.  Then the sound of splashing water caught my ear.   I approached the fence surrounding the building and noticed snow melt pouring off the roof high above and splashing down at the base of the building.  You can see how much the snowmelt and rain have eroded the ground in the corner and wet the stones, the water having no place to go but trickle down to the old foundation and work its magic. 

An Unsuccessful Visit To The Huson Code Enforcement Office

Last Thursday I walked into the Hudson Code Enforcement Office, located in the 800 block of Warren Street, to ask about the 3 A-frame signs spread around town advertising for the new brewery at 7th and State.  The way I read the section of the Code regarding portable signs, it seemed like the signs were a violation, so I just wanted to check with the office and file a complaint if there was a violation.

Who Should Get The Boot???? (Part 4) [with update]

The owner of this vehicle owes 
the city either $890 or $1,760
in parking ticket fees from the
 past year!

The picture of this BOOT-less, double-ticketed car at the corner of 6th and Warren was taken this morning.  Those two $10 meter violation tickets on the windshield were issued in the past two days, and a record of them appear on the city's online parking ticket payment portal, which is available on the Hudson Parking Bureau's webpage.  There have been some other tickets issued to this car as well. 

Who Should Get The Boot??? (Part 3)

This pickup truck was parked overnight on the even side of Warren Street -- the WRONG SIDE on this odd numbered day -- obviously in the way of DPW plows, yet HPD did not issue it a $15 WRONG SIDE PARKING ticket.

How Much Longer?

 

It has been over a year and a half since Talbott and Arding vacated the storefront at 323 Warren Street for Allen Street.  

Who Should Get The Boot?? (Part 2)

It's called a WRONG SIDE 
PARKING ticket for a reason

This morning at 9am, an "odd" day, I took this picture of a snow-covered car parked on the even side of N. 6th Street.  The car appears to have been parked there for at least 48 hours (hence all the snow on it).  Notice how the DPW snowplows had to go around the car last night because it was parked on the wrong side of the street. Notice all the unplowed snow making things more difficult for drivers and those wishing to park.  Did HPD issue the car a $15 WRONG SIDE PARKING ticket last night?  

Ass Backwards at HPD and DPW

This time of year, it is especially important that vehicles not park on the WRONG SIDE of the street, lest they be in the way of the DPW snowplows, and, as is almost always the case, to avoid being issued a $15 WRONG SIDE PARKING ticket from HPD.  You would assume that during the nights and mornings when it snows and when the DPW plows are out would be the most important night for HPD to be out issuing tickets to vehicles parked in the way of the plows, right? 

The Word PERMIT Is Both A Noun And A Verb. They Work Best Hand In Hand.

 

No permit?  Then you are
not permitted to have the 
scaffolding out!

According to the DPW Sidewalk Permit in the window of the CVS store on Warren Street, CVS's contractor (Lothrop Company LLC) paid for the $25 permit on December 9th to be permitted to block a portion of the sidewalk with scaffolding.  2 weeks later, on the 23rd, the permit expired.  The scaffolding remained and is still in place.

Oh, the Hypocrisy and the "Confusion" Never End!

 

Are drivers supposed to 
stop to read this sign?

For the second consecutive "odd day," there were two cars parked overnight in front of the house at 6 Prospect Avenue, on the even side, which were strangely not issued overnight WRONG SIDE parking tickets by HPD.  Public records still show that 6 Prospect Avenue is owned, in part, by Robert W. Perry, Jr.  Unless there is another Robert W. Perry, Jr. living in Hudson, I think that the house, and one of those cars in front, are owned by the Hudson DPW Superintendent.

BLANK DEAD FAIL (IF YOU CAN READ IT)

 

Does this f'n thing even
work?

This past Saturday afternoon, I did my best to count the number of inoperable parking meters in the City Hall Municipal Parking Lot, where there are exactly 100 meters. 21 of the meters were kaput -- the screen either being blank or flashing DEAD or FAIL. 2 of the 79 working meters (and their parking spaces) have been inaccessible for close to a year.

I Did Not Make This Up -- The Columbia County DA's Office Did!

 Last Tuesday, while observing the judicial process in Hudson City Court, I witnessed one of the most incomprehensible, almost comical, and concerning local court processes one could imagine.  No, it was more like unimaginable.  First, a little back story and context.

Sunday In The Park

This morning, it took HPD approximately 4 minutes to respond to my call letting them know that one of the 7th Street Park regulars was lying on a park bench while smoking a cigarette, surrounded by empty alcoholic beverage containers.  Two HPD officers arrived in separate vehicles. 

What's Missing From This Picture?

I love that the only sign inside or in front of the new and improved entrance to Promenade Park is a sign directing visitors to the other park found along Front Street... 

Oh, The Hypocrisy and the "Confusion"!

I took this picture in the early evening yesterday, Friday, March 10th, an even-numbered day.  The Volvo was parked in front of 6 Prospect Avenue, located on the even side of the street.  According to tax records, 6 Prospect Avenue is owned by Robert W. Perry, Jr. and Patrice O. Perry.