Smaller Street Signs Not Worth Mentioning and A Hole In The Sidewalk Not Worth Filling

For those of you who haven't noticed, DPW has been installing smaller street signs around town for quite some time, perhaps for the past year or so.  The new signs appear to have the same width, but their height has decreased, making for a more cramped, less readable street sign.  

City Hall Is Not Holding Up Its Part Of The Contract

This morning, I noticed this car parked on South 7th Street with two $10 meter violation tickets on its windshield, one issued today and the other issued yesterday.  City Hall has no shame.

You Installed A Stop Line Where, Mr. Perry?

The recently installed stop sign and $126 stop line
on Paddock Place

Readers may recall an article I posted in February, titled  YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS STUFF UP, by far Hudseen's most widely read piece, about the dysfunction and gross lack of communication at City Hall.  (The article seems to have gone somewhat viral, still being read regularly 4 months later!).  One portion of that story is worth revisiting, as it serves as a stark example of how our DPW operates, seemingly without logic, common sense or a healthy regard for safety along our truck route. 

And Across From The Record Man...

And just a few blocks away...

And The Award For This Month's Most Attractive and Most Well Maintained Vacant House Goes To....

The Galvan Initiatives Fund, owners of the lovely single family residence at 59 Short Street!!!!  Congratulations Galvan people -- you deserve this month's award, even if it was a long time coming!  

A Busy Day In Hudson City Court Today, Including A Rare Appearance By Michael Madison

It was a busy and varied session this morning with Judge Connor presiding at Hudson City Court.  A welcome surprise for me was a rare appearance by jailed defendant Michael Madison, who apparently decided it might be worth his while to appear in front of the judge rather than refuse to budge from his jail cell, as he has done on several recent occasions.  Before I get to Madison's case, I will briefly describe what else Judge Connor was dealing with today, both before and after Madison's case was called.

Robert Perry's DPW At Their Best

Sometime in late fall of 2021 at an Informal Council meeting, first ward council member Art Frick offered a rare criticism to Robert Perry after the DPW Superintendent had finished with his monthly report.  It went something like this:  "Mr. Perry, I heard from a constituent of mine who was not at all happy with recent DPW work of painting certain curbs with yellow paint.  She told me that since no cones were placed near the wet paint, a vehicle had driven over the curb and trailed wet paint into the street.  She said that it was nothing less than a crapshow."  (That last word I do specifically remember).  I don't recall exactly how Perry responded (he was on Zoom, of course), but it certainly wasn't an apology.

Go Figure!

Instead of replacing this sign...

Welcome to Hudson:  We Don't Care!

More Bicycle Racks We Don't Need or Want

Several years ago at a Common Council meeting, before there were any bicycle racks in downtown Hudson, I asked DPW Superintendent Robert Perry why there were no bicycle racks to be had.  He responded that it would be a bad idea because "they will just get vandalized."  About 8 months later, two bicycle racks appeared, thanks to the Rotary Club.  They bought the racks for the city, then DPW installed one in the 7th Street Park and one in the 500 block of Warren Street pocket park.

The Record Man Cares! So Does Code Enforcement!

I used to notify Code Enforcement about blatant code violations like this until I realized it was a complete waste of my time.

Why Does This New Sign On Union Street Bother Me So?

Just Put It At The Curb, They'll Take It Away

Some of the things that people include in their recycling piles and bins for DPW scare me.  I understand that some people still don't know that plastic bags are garbage, but shards of half-inch thick window glass on top of a bag full of paper?  This might take the cake.  

What Are Shershah Mizan's Priorities?

163-165 Green Street, owned by Shershah Mizan.

Ten days after receiving an envelope from Sherhah Mizan, another of his slick flyers was placed under the front door of the house I live in. Since both my housemate and I received mailings from the 3rd ward council member hopeful, that makes a total of three of his flyers sent to one household.  Then there are the lawn signs all over town, and the enormous sign on his lawn.  When I picked the flyer up off the floor, all I could think was "Where is this guy getting his money from?  Is he wealthy, or does he have some deep-pocketed supporters?"  Whatever the case, Mr. Mizan could certainly spend a little more money on his house if he wants to show the city, and those of us in the 3rd ward, that he cares enough to have a decently maintained property.  He is certainly not a "leader" in that regard.

Permits? We Don't Need No Stinking Permits!

The DPW clerk at City Hall just confirmed to me that Sal's Contracting was not issued a $25 Sidewalk Permit to block the sidewalk in front of 50 N. 5th Street, as they have been doing for well over a week.  Sal absolutely knows about his responsibility to get permits when his work takes up sidewalk and street space.  He sees no need to bother, though.  He's a smart, tough guy.

Our Pals At Galvan

Look where a Galvan maintenance worker decided to park his van this morning while servicing the Galvan-owned building at the corner of 3rd and Columbia.  Of course, the NO PARKING ANY TIME sign does not apply to the sidewalk, nor to Galvan.

I'm Not The Only One Who Will Need Some Salvation!

For the past few months, I have been considering writing an article about the Salvation Army thrift store on Fairview Avenue in Greenport, tentatively titled "What's Happened To Sal's?".  The store has not been the same for a few years, and I've told more than one friend recently that I would not be surprised if the place packed up and closed for good.  It turns out that my prescience, as usual, was not misguided.  

When A "Couple Hundred Dollars" And Reckless Driving Is "Not A Big Deal"

It has been two months since a vehicle hopped the curb and knocked out the pair of parking meters and meter pole in front of Rogerson's Hardware in the 600 block of Warren Street, doing some damage to the store's facade as well. Last night or this morning, it was the 500 block's turn for nearly the same thing.  I only saw the aftermath, not the accident or the vehicle(s) involved. 

Is This The Person We Want "Leading" The 3rd Ward?

The self-titled "proven leader" Shershah Mizan is once again running for a seat on the Common Council.  I recently received a mailing from him that also appears to have been mailed to the several hundreds of residents in the third ward, a list of which is available to all candidates from the County Board of Elections.  The envelope, with a 63-cent first-class stamp on it, contained an 8x11 sheet of paper he stamped as a "sample ballot," showing how to vote for him in the upcoming primary.  The mailing also contained a slick 9-inch x 4-inch flyer with his picture and listing all his supposed qualities and objectives.  The dude is spending some cash to get back on the council.  It struck me as desperation, not true interest.

Can The City Issue Code Violation Notices To Itself?

So safe and welcoming!

If you need further evidence that City Hall just can't wrap its head around the idea of safe, respectable sidewalks for all, take a look at the sidewalk in front of the Police and Court building at 702 Union Street.  It's also further evidence that no one at City Hall seems to be paying attention.

How DPW Wastes Our Tax Money and Why We Need A City MANAGER (in many words and pictures!)

Why are Hudson taxpayers paying 
to have a grocery store and bodega's
huge amount of recycling
 removed every week?

Today's article will be another in my series of efforts to show how good Hudson City Hall is at squandering its tax revenues, especially at our Department of Public Works.  The subject is one of my favorites: solid waste.  There's no way around it, we all produce waste (garbage and recycling), and we all have to pay to get rid of it.  Unsurprising to me, Robert Perry at DPW has not been keeping an eye on costs related to waste.  Things have changed quite a bit in the waste world recently while DPW still seems to be operating in the 20th century.

Is This Infrastructure Project Worth Mentioning?

NG's State Street gas line
replacement project

Gauging by the number of National Grid (NG) vehicles and machinery I constantly see and hear driving and parked/idling around town, I feel like downtown Hudson is their playground and they can do whatever they want.  They certainly seem to have no shortage of work to do in the city.  It turns out that this year NG will have an even greater presence in Hudson, which means that our streets and sidewalks will be more colorful but less accessible.

What Is Code Enforcement Waiting For?

It seems to me that enforcing the city code is critical beyond just keeping the city from looking horrible.  In my mind, keeping code violations to a minimum by enforcing the code consistently and equally can also prevent serious escalation of issues between neighbors.  No one should have to ask a neighbor to remove or to cease creating a clear code violation that is also a quality-of-life issue.  It often doesn't end well and certainly doesn't foster friendly neighbors.  Think of the City Code as protection against all sorts of things, including ugly reactions from our neighbors who we may know little about.

Parking Tickets: More Than Just Declining Revenues

As I have written in previous articles, City Treasurer Heather Campbell regularly mentions in her monthly Common Council meeting report that revenue from parking tickets is down, and last night was no exception.  She said that revenue typically picks up in the summer, and that she was confident it would do so soon. 

Safety First? Or Last?

This is one of two signs on north side of the 500 block of Warren Street trying to get pedestrians to cross the street to avoid walking in the street in front of the blocked sidewalk in front of City Hall.  The sign hasn't been near the sidewalk or helpful to pedestrians for at least 2 months (not that anyone was paying attention to it to begin with).  The sidewalk in front of City Hall has been closed off since early March.

Meanwhile, once again this morning, I saw no work taking place by the contractor to replace the missing sidewalk in front of City Hall.

Why Replace The Sidewalk First?

Closed off 3 months ago

Seems to me that the wise and logical thing to do when blocking a busy sidewalk which forces all pedestrians well into a busy street is to actually work on the sidewalk to get it once again passable as soon as possible.  Blocking the sidewalk, removing the sidewalk, doing a little bit of work on the sidewalk, and then concentrating on work elsewhere seems dumb and disrespectful.  You know, finish the work you started, especially when that work is inconveniencing other people and putting them in harm's way. 

As Predicted, The Pocketbook Factory Project Is A Nuisance To The Neighborhood! Already!

This is what the 4 floors of the Pocketbook Factory look like every night.  The light bulbs inside, well over a hundred of them, remain on 24/7.  The crew that used to work on the building was last seen there over 3 months ago.  Of course, the building is in a residential area. 

NE corner, at 6th and Washington

SE corner, at 6th and Prospect

God Save Us

The scene today behind 64 N. 6th Street

It's been 2 months since my follow up article on the so-called church at 64 N. 6th Street, titled How Is This Possible?.  The original article, from 4 months ago, titled The Curious Case of a "Church" And Its Dumpster, can be read here: curious case.  Starting today, I will try to write an update on the "church" every two months.

A City Hall That Still Doesn't Get It

The DPW Sidewalk Permit that was issued to the contractor planning on working on the outside of 617 Warren, where CVS is located, expired 6 months ago.  The scaffolding blocking the sidewalk went up in December, but no one has ever been working there.  Ever.  Why on earth does DPW allow the scaffolding to remain if the contractor is not actually using any of it?  For 6 months!  Even if the contractor had a valid permit for the scaffolding, not using it should not be acceptable.

More evidence of a city that really doesn't care about our sidewalks or pedestrians.

The Future Of Hudson, As Seen On Cross Street

23 Cross Street, no longer needed

As if the pall hanging over our area yesterday wasn't depressing enough, I came across something having nothing to do with smoke that really disturbed me.  The perfectly good (and attractive) house at 23 Cross Street was being demolished.

How To Create A Speed Trap

Conspicuous, but meant to be ignored!

In Hudson City Court there is no shortage of people with traffic tickets for speeding in a school zone and in a 20 mph zone.  These tickets are all issued on Harry Howard Avenue, the only 20 mph zone in the City of Hudson, which appears to have been deliberately created to issue tickets, not to actually slow drivers down. 

(I will focus on the southbound lane of Harry Howard).

It Happend In City Court

As I have expressed in several articles, Hudson City Court can be entertaining, even amusing and perplexing at times.  Such was the case yesterday in Judge Connor's court.

REALLY?

 

How Hudson City Hall Adds More Toxins To Our Air And Our Lungs

Traffic on S. 3rd Street waiting
for a green light that lasts just 
20 seconds

The timing of the traffic lights on South 3rd Street at Union and Allen Streets is a fine example of how Hudson City Hall does not take care of its residents as best it could and should.  In just about any other city in America, this situation would never have arisen.

Missing Meter$, Missing Monie$

As you may know by now, I have thrown my hat in the ring to become 3rd ward alderman on November 7th.  Running as an independent, I was allowed to create my own party name.  I chose Fiscal Responsibility, even if it does sound like some sort of Republican small government party label (I assure you that was not my intention).  The amount of money I see wasted in Hudson City Hall never ceases to astound me, and that is one of the issues that I hope to focus on as an alderman. In the meantime, I will continue to use Hudseen to illustrate the ridiculous waste of money and inefficient use of resources at City Hall.  

Today's topic:  Parking meters!  Broken meters, to be specific.

Stoned? Drunk? Or Just A Really Bad Driver?

With 2 available parking spaces 
directly across the street!

Is parking on the wrong side of the street and facing the wrong direction a universal problem, or is it just a Hudson thing?  Why is it so common in town? 

(No one was in the car when picture was taken)

Entitled? Or Just A Jerk?

After my call to HPD this morning, the owner of this car was issued a $10 IMPROPER PARKING ticket for parking on the sidewalk. All of TEN DOLLARS for deliberately parking on the sidewalk, the same amount as a METER VIOLATION ticket.

Narcissist? Or Just Entitled?

This morning, with the Hudson Farmers Market in full swing nearby, I noticed this obscenely parked pickup truck in the very full City Hall Municipal Lot on Columbia Street.  Fortunately, there was a name and phone number included on the FOR SALE sign on the windshield, so I called someone I will refer to as CF.

We Do Not Currently Have An Acting Police Chief. It Seems We Have A "Member In Charge," Instead.

Lt. David Miller is 
in charge of HPD
for the time being

Today via email, I tried to reach out to our new and very pregnant Police Chief Mishanda Franklin to let her know about something of concern to me.  However, it appears that Franklin is out for a while, most likely preparing to give birth, as I got an automatic reply that said she was "currently out of the office."  Franklin was sworn in as Hudson's new Chief of Police eleven days ago.

A Few Ugly Things About Our Friends At Galvan (And At City Hall)

In mid-February, I reported on Galvan's apartment complex in the 200 block of State Street that had no dumpster for its residents to utilize (see Galvan garbage).  Nearly 4 months later, it is time for an update.

More Waster Hauler Bad Actors

My neighbor, as is usual, set out their garbage receptacle on Tuesday night for County Waste to empty the next morning.  The receptacle was not left in the street -- it was on the sidewalk at the curb, as out of the way as it could be for pedestrians to pass.

A County Waste garbage truck came by at some point yesterday morning or early afternoon to empty the can.  The mechanical arms of the truck grabbed the receptacle, hoisted it high and emptied the contents into the truck, all the while with the driver looking on.  Then, it appears, the driver decided it was not worth leaving the receptacle where he found it, instead leaving it in the street 6 or 7 feet from the curb.  I took the picture of the receptacle in the street at 3 pm.