Down On The Corner Where Our "Mayor," DPW and CEO Can't Be Found. PORTRAITS OF A FAILING CITY!

 

Want to get a sense of how bad things presently are in Hudson City Hall?  Don't bother going to 520 Warren where everything will appear just fine!  Instead, head to the intersection of 6th & Columbia and have a look around.  Be careful where you step or place your hands, though!

This efficient, energy and money saving LED
streetlight has been on 24/7 for at least a month,
possibly ever since it was installed months ago.  At 
least we're saving money the entire time!  DPW is 
now responsible for the maintenance of
ALL STREETLIGHTS!

Is graffiti on public infrastructure the 
least of DPW's concerns?  

Or is it safety, aesthetics and common sense?

I first noticed this unsecured electric box two months ago
when it was partially secured to the pole.  Maybe 
when it hits the ground will DPW finally notice it and do 
something about it.  It is full of live electric
wires for the DPW traffic light.

The decorative white paint arrived this summer.
National Grid cut the concrete to install a new
utility pole, then decided to install the pole on 
the other side of the old pole.  Because of the cut 
concrete, there is now a nasty tripping hazard
waiting for all pedestrians crossing the street where
semi-trailers roar past 5 feet away.

It's probably only 220 volts of electricity.
The box has only been completely unsecured 
to the ancient pole for 3 or 4 weeks -- it has dropped at 
least 5 inches below where it was attached
so unprofessionally, likely decades ago.

I took this picture on November 21st, almost 
one month ago.  The ancient box was completely unsecured,
but it had not dropped yet.  Its only support are 
the live wires and conduit secured near the top of the
ancient pole (apparently not very well)!

This lovely death trap appeared several months
ago AFTER the excavation of the
sidewalk and re-concreting took place,
either by National Grid or Verizon!

Not Rob Perry's (or anyone else's) problem

What the flying fuck do we need a solid,
attractive and safe curb for anyway?  It's not 
like it's the busiest thoroughfare in Hudson, also 
known as the truck route!

No permit necessary!  "Walk in the street if you can
get there without falling over our curb, old man!
Got a problem with that?  Call Kamal Johnson!"

Beginning in July or August, thanks to HPD, the contractor has
 been allowed to render 4 metered, revenue-producing parking
 spaces off limits to the general public so that they can leave
a series of dumpsters in ONE metered space out front.  Until
yesterday, this particular dumpster had been full and overflowing
FOR AT LEAST TWO FUCKING WEEKS.  The issue of why 
parking revenues are so low is a common topic at council meetings.
If the contractor renews their HPD parking permit for the 4
metered spaces every two weeks, as they are supposed to do,
they pay just ten dollars each time, or about 72 cents per day!
Four metered spaces, one dumpster, not even a dollar a day.  And the
other 3 metered spaces remain empty most of the time when the 
contractor is not around, particularly on the weekend and
including during the farmers market.  Genius!  Repeat:  There has been a 
series of dumpsters in that space since late July or early August!
Prior to that, as HUDseen readers may recall, the dumpsters were on 
the sidewalk around the corner for over a year, probably starting in 
February of 2023!

Our Code Enforcment Office issues Building Permits, which are an
important source of revenue for the city and the CEO.
Posted permits contain an issue date but, STRANGELY, do not
contain an expiration date (who cares when they were issued? 
Does CEO care when they expire?).   
Permits last one year and CAN be extended for up to 6 months. 
Extension or not, this presently posted permit for the
former church at 6th & Columbia expired either 4 or 10 months ago.
Why is it still posted?  Where is the valid building permit allowing 
work to continue at 21 N. 6th?  Where is the enforcement of our
building code?  Where is the Code Enforcement Office?

One of the requirements written in HPD's Parking 
Permits is that all dumpsters parked on the street must be 
surrounded by "lights or barricades" for safety purposes (presumably to
prevent cars/trucks/bicycles/scooters/cop cars etc. from slamming into
a multi-ton, immovable object with sharp metal corners one foot
from the traffic lane.  Cones are not required to warn of a
parked dumpster, just "lights or barricades," whatever the fuck that
means and WHICH IS NEVER DONE!
Both the contractor and (typically) the Hudson Police
Chief sign the parking permits.  We pay our police chief to
consider and sign parking permits for contractors' who 
show up to the HPD station to be issued a permit for their
dumpsters, machinery and trucks, permits which HPD
consistently fails to enforce the rules of.  One metered parking 
space or four -- 27 cents a day for as long as you like and  
NO SAFETY CONES REQUIRED!

Note to "mayor" Kamal Johnson:  THIS IS YOUR CITY, DUDE!!!!

ARE YOU PROUD OF THIS?  DO YOU CARE?  IF ALL OF THIS IS POSSIBLE UNDER YOUR WATCH, WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU RUN FOR MAYOR FOR AND WHAT ELSE ARE YOU IGNORING AND ALLOWING ROB PERRY AND OTHERS -- WHOM YOU SUPPOSEDLY SUPERVISE -- TO IGNORE?  ARE YOU HERE TO DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT COLLECT A PAYCHECK AND SEE TO IT THAT YOUR CHECK STEADILY INCREASES NO MATTER HOW LITTLE WORTHWHILE WORK YOU ACCOMPLISH, OR EFFORT YOU MAKE, TO IMPROVE HUDSON?  WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A WALK OUTSIDE TO SEE HOW THINGS ARE OFF OF WARREN STREET?  IT'S KIND OF DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR CITY IF YOU DRIVE YOUR CAR ALL OF 4 OR 5 BLOCKS TO AND FROM WORK EVERY DAY, ISN'T IT?  WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU NOTICED SOMETHING WRONG IN DOWNTOWN HUDSON AND CONTACTED ROB PERRY TO HAVE HIM FIX IT?  HAS THAT EVER HAPPENED IN THE PAST 4 YEARS YOU HAVE BEEN SHELTERD IN CITY HALL BUSY COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR VIRTUAL BUDS ON FUCKING FACEBOOK?  WHAT IS ON YOUR AGENDA TODAY?