Words of Wisdom For Hudson In The 21st Century From Our DPW Superintendent and Sage: "It's Just Money. You Gotta Pay For It."

 

HUDseen readers will be forgiven for thinking these first two pictures are the same ones featured in an article from exactly two weeks ago about a broken plastic parking sign on a meter pole in front of 720 Columbia Street. But be reassured they are not. I took these pictures yesterday when I came across the second broken sign on that same pole in front of 720 Columbia -- within just two weeks!!!!  Yes, the original broken sign was replaced by DPW sometime last week no more than two weeks after it was installed by DPW, and the new plastic sign was also rendered useless within one week.  All we get is ugly, publicly displayed garbage showing that HPD top brass have no idea what they are doing in terms of making their new and expanded "improved" paid parking system a success. It's an embarrassing disgrace, and our new mayor should intervene before things get truly out of hand and more money continues to be wasted on these plastic signs and who knows what else they are spending and wasting our precious tax revenue on.

Then there's the plastic paid parking sign on Columbia closest to 8th Street that HUDseen featured 9 days ago, the second broken plastic sign I came across. This one also took HPD (likely with DPW's help) about a week to replace after they finally realized it was broken (or broken enough to do something about).  But notice that, unlike its predecessor and all the other dozens of paid parking signs atop meter poles installed all over downtown, this new sign in front of Mutton is double-sided.  Instead of text and a scannable code facing only the street (a safety issue HUDseen has focused on), this replacement sign allows drivers to stand on the sidewalk to pay for their parking space if they like.  What a great f'n idea!  In other words, the approximately three dozen (by my count) single-sided paid parking signs on meter poles off of Warren Street all represent another mistake made by HPD.  Another mistake and another delay.  Another cost.  Another embarrassing display of ineptitude, dysfunction and unaccountability, not to mention money and time-wasting (materials, wages, law enforcement responsibilities...).  "Looks like we should have bought double-sided signs!"

Of course, single or double sided, the plastic signs are all still easily within reach of adults and children, still easily bendable and BREAKABLE and will continue to be bent and broken.  And replaced.  And purchased.  And broken.  And replaced.  And so on. 

Here is what 1st ward council member and member of the new so-called Code & Infrastructure Committee, Henry Haddad, recently had to say about the parking signs on the meter poles.  He was directing his thoughts to DPW Superintendent Rob Perry, who was seated across the table:  "I was just curious if there was any thought of maybe that not being a permanent solution.  'Cus seeing the careless ways some of our visitors mill around and have a lot of little kids maybe on a busy street in the middle of summer, they don't pay as much attention as we all would like.  And I think that three-and-a-half-foot height is perfect for some little kid to smack his face on and then, I don't know, maybe we can think of a solution for the future in just those small blocks where you had no other option."

Blame the stupidity on the children visiting Hudson, not HPD or DPW!

Perry insightfully replied that the solution was to put the signs on sign poles installed on the sidewalks, a task that he admitted would entail a lot of work and a fair amount of money.  (Earlier, Perry made it clear that neither he nor anyone at DPW makes any decisions about where or how parking signs are installed. "We're just the guys with the screwdrivers," he said.)

Council President Margaret Morris then stood up from her chair and intervened, "I think that that should be referred to the Safety Committee."

Haddad agreed, adding, "I wanted to get Rob's point of view." (Committee chair Jason Foster had nothing to say.)

Rob Perry concluded, "I don't have an opinion either way.  It's just money.  You gotta pay for it"

When committee and council members don't know which city officials to speak to about solving issues (if there is anyone), you know we're 100% screwed!  And when a city official making over $125,000 a year tells a council member that he doesn't care about their issue, you know he is no help and you are wasting your time trying to get anything worthwhile out of him.  In other words, you're talking to the wrong person!  Again!

This sign needs to be replaced with a double-sided one.
Thank goodness "it's just money" that will get it done!

"Safety Committee," my arse!  Put the plastic signs on signposts where they belong, not on parking meter poles, safety issue solved!  Broken and bent sign issue solved as well!  Time and talk wasting issue solved as well! 

How much longer will they think about and discuss this nonsense?  And will Henry Haddad prove himself to be a worthwhile council and committee member some day?  "The careless ways some of our visitors mill around..."?  Really, Henry, is that why you returned to the council, to get the careless visiting children problem solved once and for all?