Closed Again? Why?

It's been about a month and a half since HUDseen last wrote about the Hudson Parking Bureau not being available to the public (closed) for a few days.  Something is not right over there at 701A Union. *

Earlier today, I got an automatic email reply from the Parking Bureau that read, "The Parking Bureau is closed until Thursday, 7/23. Or [sic] all urgent matters, please contact Doreen Danforth."  Included was her email address but no phone number.  The information at the bottom included the address and phone number of the bureau, titled Parking Violations Bureau.  That is the old name of the bureau when it was located in City Hall and there was no such thing as not being able to pay your ticket in person! Today's outgoing (and very impersonal) voicemail message at the Parking Bureau had not been changed to indicate that the office was closed and when it would reopen.  A lot of good leaving a message would do!

Can you imagine driving to the police station on Union, parking in the lot and going inside only to find out that no one can help you with your ticket, parking issue or complaint about a kiosk or the parking system in general?  Yet another satisfied customer, possibly a tax-paying city resident!

Doreen Danforth is HPD's full-time clerk who last year somehow took on the newly created part-time position of Parking Bureau Clerk. (Actually, I'm guessing that's her title; it's really difficult to know what her new role and title are there.  It doesn't even say what her title is in her emails.)  Apparently, though, Doreen does not fill in for the absent full-time clerk (?) who is typically behind the window taking care of the public.  What exactly is Doreen Danforth being paid to do at the Parking Bureau, how much is she being paid for it, what is her title, and how much time of her day is she able to spend working on parking matters if she is still the full-time HPD clerk?  Is it possible that there is never anyone available to fill in for the clerk behind the window when she is absent for a day or five, possibly even while on a planned vacation?

The lead picture shows the parking meter pole on Park Place closest to Columbia that lost its pair of plastic scannable parking signs sometime in the past 48 hours. (A few months ago, HUDseen wrote about one sign on that pole that had gone missing.  That plastic sign was replaced with two back-to-back plastic signs.)  You can see the lower 2/3 of a parking enforcer's body in the background of the picture (in dark).  When I took the picture this afternoon, the enforcer was explaining paid parking to yet another confused visitor (it breaks up the monotony of the enforcers' job, for sure.  Someone to talk to!).  He pointed at the parking meter pole with no signs on it and said to the woman (in shorts), "There used to be a sign there, but it's gone."  The woman chuckled.

Can you imagine?   Sure you can; you're a regular HUDseen reader!

*  701A Union Street is the address of the Parking Bureau.  What the  hell is up with the A?  A as in absent?