How's That DPW Budget Looking? Time To Raise Property Taxes Again?

Over the course of about a week in late July and early August, excavation and water pipe work took place on and under the upper 200 block of Columbia Street directly adjacent to the never-ending Hudson Islamic Center's mosque project.  Hudson DPW was not involved, the excavation work was done by a local contractor, and it was most definitely related to the always "in progress" mosque as a new sidewalk was being installed at the corner at the same time by the same contractor.

Ever curious about who is and isn't paying attention at City Hall, I FOILed for the permit issued by DPW to the contractor hired by the Islamic Center who dug the large hole in our street that was repaved about 7 years ago.  As readers may know, all contractors must first get authority from DPW to dig up our streets, and all local contractors know this to be the case.  DPW must issue them what is called a STREET PERMIT, and it's not free.  The lowest fee for a permit is $200, but depending on the size and number of the excavations, the cost can climb quite high.  As you can imagine, DPW's STREET PERMIT requires a contractor to prove they are insured, and the permit holds the city harmless should something go wrong, such as an "accidental" natural gas explosion or city water main being damaged.  Needless to say, DPW's STREET PERMIT is a really important piece of paper for a number of reasons.  I would say -- and our city attorney should agree -- that it is a crucial document not to be overlooked.

But maybe Rob Perry doesn't think his STREET PERMITS are all that important or necessary.  Perhaps he thinks they are optional.  I say this because that large excavation of a relatively new city street that took place last month was not the first instance in which DPW did not issue a STREET PERMIT for excavation work.  It happens far too often.  This is the response I got from the City Clerk's office in response to my FOIL, similar or identical in words as others I've received from past FOIL requests for STREET PERMITS:  As per DPW Supt Perry "no record."  

In other words, no DPW STREET PERMIT was issued for this work:

August 4th.  Widening the hole that
  had been cut about one week prior.

Had the contractor applied for a DPW STREET PERMIT, I'm guessing it would have cost them at least $350.  And DPW likely made the final patch over the contractor's excavation, as they do for all street excavations.  There appear to be no consequences for contractors who cut and claw into our streets without first being issued a DPW STREET PERMIT.  That sounds like a wise game plan, doesn't it?  It also appears to be the case that DPW does not require contractors to post their DPW STREET PERMIT at the location of their excavation.

I also recently FOILed for the DPW STREET PERMIT issued to the contractor that dug a hole in the street in front of 445 Union.  According to Rob Perry, via the City Clerk's Office, no permit was issued for that work.   You can see and drive over the patch job covering that hole that DPW likely installed and that city residents paid for.  It seems to be holding up better than the patch on Columbia is, though it is not nearly as large.   I'm thinking that one was just a $200-sized hole -- peanuts to our $125,000 DPW Supt!

By the way, as the lead picture shows, the patch over the hole on Columbia at 3rd is already wavy.  Soon enough it will feel and look like WAVY GRAVY!  And DPW will patch it again.  And city residents will pay for the work and materials.  Again!  Maybe... just maybe if we're lucky!