He Actually Said This! Again, Perhaps For the Twelfth Time! And With His Arms Firmly Crossed On His Chest! Probably Also For The Twelfth Time!

Following Rob Perry's DPW report to the so-called Code & Infrastructure Committee during last week's monthly meeting (where, for the second consecutive meeting, no one from the Code Enforcement Department was present, nor were code issues discussed... nor did anyone seem to mind), committee head Jason Foster asked Rob Perry a question he has heard on multiple occasions for at least the past ten years. Perry's answer was in line with his previous responses.

Foster: And as you talk about parks -- and I'm sure it's been talked about a lot -- but in your opinion would it be better if Oakdale was maintained by DPW instead of...

Perry, sitting next to Foster and with both arms crossed tightly across his chest, interrupted Foster before he could finish his question with the words "the Youth Department."

Perry:  Well, I don't have the staff to pick it up.  And, quite honestly, it's only used, um, for whatever its use.  I mean, they can hire a part-timer.  They've got plenty of bodies over there in the Youth Department that can, you know, push a mower or do a weed whacker....  It's all handwork, there's no open fields.  It's not like we can just show up....and bang it out in a couple of hours.

And that was the end of that subject, once again.  I'm sure the issue will arise next year or the following year, the question (or request) to Perry coming out of someone else's mouth who hasn't heard any of his previous 12 responses regarding why it's impossible for DPW to maintain the city's largest and wildest public park.

Several winters ago (pre-Covid), during an informal council meeting at City Hall but without Youth Department director Nick Zachos in the room, I asked Rob Perry why DPW was failing to plow snow and remove ice from the Oakdale Park parking lot.  Perry's response then was about as dismissive, nasty, and obscene as his latest response to the latest question about why DPW isn't able to maintain Oakdale Park, though it was certainly more candid.  "I do enough favors for the Youth Department," is what our DPW Superintendent told me and the council members in attendance.  Can you imagine?

Every year or two it's the same thing from Perry.  "Sorry, no can do. Not interested.  Not my problem.  We have all the tools to maintain the other parks, but Oakdale is off limits.  Only the Youth Department can handle it."  And no one says a thing in response.  End of discussion.  The dismissal is complete.

Notice that Rob Perry didn't even answer Jason Foster's question.  Rob didn't respond with a yes or a no, as in "Yes, the park would be better off if DPW maintained it, but..."  He just skipped over the question and went straight to his typical dismissive response:  "I can't help you.  Next question, please."  Why on earth would a city official ask the DPW Superintendent for his opinion about whether a public park would benefit from DPW's attention?  Since when does the DPW Superintendent get to make up his mind about what parks he wants and doesn't want to maintain? 

Rob Perry, head of the department with all (but one) of the city's lawn mowers, weed whackers and all sorts of tools to maintain city parks and grassy areas, wants nothing to do with our largest public park.  Hell, he simply doesn't have the manpower to deal with Oakdale Park!  But the Youth Department sure does; they've got plenty of BODIES and tools to handle it.  And if they don't, let them hire someone who can.  And let them buy a new $1,500 lawn mower when theirs finally stops working.    

Can you imagine trying to work with this guy to get something positive accomplished? 

During last week's Code & Infrastructure meeting, for nine straight minutes while he responded to questions from committee members Jason Foster and Henry Haddad, Perry was seated with his arms firmly crossed on his chest.  That unsubtle body language said it all.  LEAVE ME ALONE!  STOP BOTHERING ME!  I DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE HERE, NOR DO I WANT TO HELP YOU!  CAN'T YOU SEE THAT I DONT CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY?  As one website describes the body language of crossed arms, "they show that you have set up roadblocks."  The other descriptors offered by professionals regarding the message displayed by crossed arms are numerous, none of them positive.  As we all know, trying to communicate with a person with crossed arms is an exercise in futility.  And keeping one's arms crossed while speaking or being spoken to -- especially for several minutes in a professional setting -- is rude and childish.  Unless, of course, you want to make it clear that you are angry, bothered and want nothing to do with anyone else.  Then it's a clearly acceptable and welcome posture and message coming from a child or a so-called adult.