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. 

DPW has two clerks -- one for the Water and Sewer Department, and one for everything else DPW deals with.  They both work in the DPW office in City Hall, and every time I have inquired about Mr. Perry's whereabouts over the past few years, the response they both have given me has been the same: "Rob Perry does not have an office here."  Even the vague "Rob works out there."  I have also been offered: "How many times do I have to tell you?  Rob doesn't work out of this office!  He doesn't even have a desk here!"

This morning, I first asked the general DPW clerk if Robert Perry, her boss, was available.  She responded, "No, he is not here.  He's on vacation."

"Do you know when he will be returning from vacation?" I asked.

"Next week sometime," she responded. 

"On Monday?" I asked.

"I don't know when," she replied.

I caught up with the Water Clerk soon thereafter, and she, too, could only guess when her boss would be returning to work.  "I'm not sure, probably Monday.  I can't keep track of his whereabouts," she told me.  Mr. Perry's clerk did tell me that he was in Florida.

Any time I send an email to Tracy Delaney or Cherry Hirsch in the Clerk's office (as well as other city employees) when they are on vacation, I get an immediate, automatic reply telling me so, telling me when they will return to work and who to contact in case of an emergency.  One expects this kind of helpful, professional, common courtesy.  This morning, after exiting City Hall, I sent Robert Perry an email asking him when he would be returning to work.  I got no immediate, automatic reply telling me that he is on vacation or when he expects to be back in the office (wherever that might be), or who else to contact.  5 hours later, and I still have not received a reply, automatic or otherwise.  Mr. Perry's lack of automatic "vacation reply" has been going on for years.

Robert W. Perry, Hudson DPW Superintendent, was paid over $114,000 last year.  He will be taking home at least that much this year.  The only time I see him in or near City Hall is when he is filling the garbage bag vending machine with blue plastic bags, each secured with a rubber band.