How Many Hudson DPW Workers Does It Take To Fix A Streetlight They Don't Know Is Broken? (And More Questions We Shouldn't Have To Ask Rob Perry!)

 

The main reason that the city took over responsibility of each and every one of the city's streetlights from National Grid was to SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG TERM.  We had been paying Grid an annual flat rate for maintaining the energy-sucking incandescent lights and keeping them on at night.  When the lights went out or were on 24/7, a phone call or online request via their website would usually get a National Grid crew to fix broken lights within a few days.  Those days ended early last year.  Now we pay to repair the new LED lights, to replace them, to keep them on at night and off during the day. To maintain them properly and in a timely fashion (as well as the arms they hang from).  DPW does the work and spends the money.  Or Rob Perry is supposed to get it done, at least.  It's pretty simple, don't you think?   When a streetlight is known to be broken in one way or another, it is time -- without too much delay --for DPW to fix it or replace it or just take a closer look at it to figure out what is wrong with it so that it can be fixed soon.  Cross it off your list.  Move on to another broken light or something else that needs fixing, especially something that is COSTING US MONEY by the minute.

As I recall hearing a year or two ago, our new LED streetlights are expected to last 10 years before they burn out.  But what's more likely to go wrong with them now is to remain on 24/7.  It doesn't take a genius to understand that leaving any type of outdoor light on all the time is a bad thing for a number of reasons.  And you don't need to be a logician to understand that if you are trying to save money in the long run by paying for the electricity to run your streetlights -- rather than someone else paying -- you ought to be sure that your lights don't remain on 24/7 for too long.  You can't save money in the long or short term if your lights are broken and costing you money 24/7, right?  As soon as possible, be sure to replace or fix your broken lights -- interior or exterior -- that don't turn off or you have forgotten to turn off!  Right?  Be aware of lights you are paying to power, don't walk past them and do not ignore them if they are on for no reason.  Turn them off or replace what is broken.  Do not be wasteful, especially with money, just like your mama told you when you were 10 years old.  Be responsible!  Turn lights off when they are not needed, especially in the daylight!  That's what the sun is for!  We don't pay for the sun to light our way!

Just over one month ago, on April 15th, I sent a HUDSON HUB request to get DPW's attention to the streetlight in front of 15 Union Street that I had noticed a week earlier was on during the day.  Almost immediately, I got an email response that told me my request had been "filed, will not respond!!" (yes, including the exclamation points).  The "estimated resolution" date of my request was "by April 25th, 2026," or three weeks ago.  On May 5th, nearly two weeks ago, I received another email telling me that my request had been "Closed."  The title of the email was "Request #168 Closed."

Guess what? Those LED's on that streetlight in front of 15 Union are still burning away 24/7 as if it doesn't matter.  

And you wonder why DPW has an engine idling problem that Rob Perry encourages!  You gotta wonder:  Is Rob Perry a responsible person?  Can we trust him to be responsible with taxpayer dollars and cents and to keep an eye on everything he is expected to do?  Are we asking too much of our DPW Superintendent or is he not up to the task?

On or about the same day over a month ago that I made my request to have DPW fix the streetlight in front of 15 Union that was wasting electricity and taxpayer money, a DPW crew of 2 or 3 took a few hours to spray paint several pairs of carrots on downtown streets to direct drivers directly to the farmers market (rather than the nearby city parking lot).  Most of those carrots are well-worn away by cars driving over them, and they will soon be gone for good.  Maybe that streetlight at 15 Union will continue burning bright 24/7 well after the carrots disappear!  Let's hope so!  We can definitely afford it! 

During the past three weeks, a DPW crew (possible the same one that painted the carrots) has been out spray painting our curbs yellow.  I'm almost certain, though, that no curbs were painted this past week.  I have no idea why so many of our curbs still need yellow paint, but the reason certainly can't be that DPW has been busy fixing broken streetlights that never turn off and our constantly costing us money in the long run. And the short run.

(Just last week I found another city streetlight on during the day that is not difficult to notice.  I'm not going to notify the city about that one, though. (I can't do all their work for them!)  When I notice it is no longer on during the day, HUDseen readers will be the first to know DPW has fixed it.  Start placing your bets as to when that might happen!)