A HUDseen Twofer!

Two stories in one today!

On Saturday morning, I came across the fifth sinkhole on the new, partially repaved 400 block of Warren Street since Talham, the paving company from Troy, did their work a few months ago.  This is the fourth one on the north side of the street, all near the middle of the block. It is by far the largest sinkhole yet, and it was not there on Friday.  

All of these sinkholes, and those surely to come, simply shouldn't be happening -- there was not a sinkhole situation on Warren Street before National Grid's project began late last summer.  The traveling surface and what is below our main thoroughfare in the business district was sloppily redone by two contractors handling the gas line replacement project for National Grid: Mullen (excavate trench, lay pipe, fill in trench, apply temporary asphalt over trench) and Talham (weeks or months later remove street surface from curb to beyond trench, including Mullen's temporary asphalt, and replace with permanent asphalt).  TOO MANY GODDAMN COOKS IN THE KITCHEN, INCLUDING ONE OR TWO THAT ARE NOT QUALIFIED TO EVEN BE IN THE KITCHEN!

Mullen, based in Saugeries, has been tending to the sinkholes, so I'm thinking that at least most of the blame lies with them.  What they filled their trenches with is simply not adequately stable and never should have been covered with asphalt by them or by Talham.  This a completely unprofessional shit show, and our DPW Superintendent should feel the same way.  Even though -- and especially since -- DPW did not hire Mullen or Talham to work on and under our streets, Perry should be furious with the contractors and their gift to us that will keep on giving.  "National Grid sent you here to tear up our streets and repave them, and this is what we get? Sinkholes requiring patches over new asphalt everywhere?"  

One wonders if he has spoken with anyone from National Grid, their contractors or the State Department of Public Service about this situation and how it will all play out in the future. If he hasn't spoken with anyone, there is even more cause for concern; cause for serious concern about Mr. Perry's ability and willingness to do his job. The first thing out of his mouth to National Grid should have been, and should continue to be, "this is f'ng unacceptable!  What the hell are we supposed to do, continue dealing with sinkholes on Warren, and possibly elsewhere, for the next ten years until someone repaves the whole thing from 3rd to 6th to finally fix your contractors' shit work?  Who the hell is going to pay for that? What about all the other streets with new pipes that were repaved, were they filled and paved equally awfully as if no one knows what they are doing or cares about the integrity or looks of our streets?  How much longer can we expect sinkholes to appear and have to call you to have them repaired?  Is this normally how things play out after you are supposedly finished with your work?"

I called HPD right away and told them of the sinkhole, suggesting that someone get in touch with the DPW foreman (who I had just seen moments before driving in his city issued vehicle) and have him take a look at the quickly forming sinkhole.  I told the officer that the situation required more than just one orange cone.  Within a half hour, I noticed that two cones had been placed over the sinkhole.  On a Saturday morning in the dead of summer, DPW and HPD attended to a sinkhole that was the result of two contractors working on and below a street of ours months ago, both of them who were nowhere near Hudson for the weekend.  Taxpayer money paid for this expense, of course.

Number five!

The woman who answered the phone at HPD had an unfamiliar voice and name, perhaps being a new dispatcher. She took my information about the sinkhole, then asked me for my name. I reluctantly gave her my full name -- I am rarely asked for my name when calling HPD. Then she asked, "And what's your date of birth and phone number?"  I told her that that information was not important, thanked her, and hung up.

It has been at least five years since calling HPD with an issue and being asked for my date of birth and phone number. On that call, which I remember quite well, I was also asked for my address.  I responded, "Do you want my social security number, too?!" and hung up.