Saturday, January 15, 2011

ANOTHER STUPID QUESTION.....

Sometimes I think I am a little too rigid , I try to look at the total picture, but that doesn't always happen. I also know that I have some great readers with good common sense. With that being said, I'm throwing this question out there to solicit your responses.

I fully understand that Wednesday's storm was a record snowfall. Although most city streets have been plowed, it seems that the response was far from stellar. Most major streets are opened to only one lane each way, but at least they are open.

I can't seem to figure out the strategy behind Hartford's plowing operations and the number of plows I saw during the storm driving on city streets with their plow blades up in the air and not moving any snow. I posed that question to Mayor Segarra during a conversation Friday evening. He said he had the same question and when he posed it to Hartford's D.P.W. Director Kevin Burnham, he was told it was to save wear and tear on the plows as they traveled to their assigned routes.

I would file Burnham's response in the "do you really think we are idiots" file and move on. Some things will never change in Hartford. I also told the Mayor that even with the record snowfall, it was quite clear when you cross the Hartford city line. Entering into any of our neighboring towns, the streeets were plowed "curb to curb" and looked much better than Hartford's.

Ok, so now to the question I would like your comments on. If you were the Director of Public Works for the City of Hartford and knew that a sold out UCONN Women's Basketball game was being held Saturday at 12 noon at the XL Center, how would you handle snow removal surrounding the XL Center?

A.) Since Hartford's streets are pretty much empty after 1 or 2:00am, that would be the best time to remove the snow and make Hartford accessible and clear out all intersections so that the area would be clear in advance of the sold-out crowd and traffic and pedestrians could move about properly

B.)Why worry, spring will be here soon enough and snow eventually melts.

C.)To show that Hartford D.P.W. does actually plow snow, do it at the height of the crowds arriving and tie up as much traffic as possible and show the 16,000 people coming into the city that something is being done. People are used to being inconvenienced by Hartford's incompetent leadership so at least it will show consistency to everyone.

D.) Both B and C would combine for a reasonable solution.

Not to influence your decision, but C was apparently Burnham's solution.

Needless to say, Hartford's DPW crews were making a nightmare of traffic as the sold out crowds arrived and I'm not even going near downtown as they leave the City after the game. Maybe it is a decision to keep them all gridlocked in Hartford to visit Hartford's restaurants downtown.

At least we can be comfortable in knowing that the DPW Director is enjoying the day in front of the fireplace at his home in East Haddam, free from the troubles and worries of Hartford. If only he lived in Hartford, he might see what many of us see day in and day out.

23 comments:

  1. Kevin...perhaps some have the addage..." god put the snow there,so let god take it away."

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  2. The city's logic is the snow hides the trash that department works missed during the fall.

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  3. I live in one of your "neighboring" towns (the affluent one) and the main streets are not curb to curb, never mind side streets, and the on-street parking is equally as bad.

    Say the city could plow curb to curb, what do they do with all the excess snow and is the frustration of forcing city residents to re-shovel their walkways worth the added effort?

    It's a city people, snow removal is hard and the same complaints cycle each year. The points you make here, Kevin, are the same that every city deals with -- get over it.

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  4. I am not from CT, and in NYS it is not accepted that it's a city and the snow is a nuisance so live with it. Right now if there was a fire on several streets in the South End it would be weenie time as no large vehicle can get up the side streets.
    I had my driveway plowed on Wed. morning as my tenant thought she would have to go to work. The plow person had to plow the street to get to the drive--this was after 5:00 AM.
    I never saw any city plows going anywhere on Wednesday. I don't think my street has been plowed by a city vehicle ever.
    On Fri. I had to go crosstown to give someone a ride from Homestead Ave to Franklin Ave. This was at rush hour. First the highways were stopped dead so all the traffic was almost gridlocked in the city. Then on Hudson st. the large snow-eating machine (which is an inprovement but at what expense?) was being used--at rush hour mind you. So 2 hours later I had completed my drive.
    As to the snow eating machine, most cities use a combination of bobcats, payloaders, and dump trucks to move the snow after the initail plowing. Not glitzy but it works.
    So this has been my take on the lack of snow removal in Hsrtford. Also I did try to call 311--placed on hold for a very very long time both times. I called the police who said to call 311. So then I called the Mayor's office who said they would make sure 311 did something about my street. I'm still waiting.
    Things should be fun with the week that's coming up.

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  5. I am outraged that you don't get the facts before you post on your blog; for the record... I have worked for the DPW for over 15 years and every Director in my tenor other than Clarenece Corbin has NOT LIVED in Hartford... yet you consistently persecute Mr. Burnham without any supporting evedience.
    Mr. Burnham for all 3 storms this year has slept at the Public Works Yard on a cart in a vacant office with rat droppings. Not only did he sleep there but he personally cooked spaggetti & meatballs for dinner and pancakes in the morning for his employees who were fighting the storm. Mr. Burnham this past storm Jan. 12th spent Tuesday thru Thursday at the Public Works yard... I personally witnessed him talking to his wife Patti on Wednesday morning to talk her thru a snowblower problem. Kevin Burnham and his wife have 2 small children and live on his property with his elderly parents. His wife had to managed his home, plow the sidewalk, and shovel out cars to take care of their kids and parents, while he chose to manage the snow operations so the residents of Hartford recieve safe pathways for their families. Again only one Director lived in Hartford and believe me he showed up for no more than 2 hours during ANY STORM. I know all this information because for the past ten years I have worked EVERY STORM alongside with Mr.Burnham and all of his workers. So please before you attempt to pass judgement on something that you are clearly unknowledgeable about please DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

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  6. The snow removal problem has always been a challenge for this and many cities. The one thing I would say is that at least the major streets should have been widened all the way. If not all the way curb to curb, at least within fifty feet of an intersection for cars to use turn only lanes.
    The other BIG problem is motorists blocking interesctions by getting caught under the light. When will we ever adopt a policy that works very well in NYC?
    Don't Block The Box. If you can't make the light, don't get into the intersection. This was (and is) a huge problem even without a snow storm.
    I see a possible Council Resolution (maybe)

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  7. Another Stupid Question ?

    S Wooden $52K
    P Segarra $15K
    Exploratory K Roldan $20K in a week?

    Unless P Segarra has the capacity to pull a financial tsunami soon, he is DOA in the Latino hemisphere and the political competitive arena.


    God Bless

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  8. Anonynous, your post should read "Bart Halloran $20,000 in a week." Halloran is putting on a full court press for his future son in law.

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  9. Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Anonymous, your post should read "Bart Halloran $20,000 in a week." Halloran is putting on a full court press for his future son in law.
    January 17, 2011 5:42 PM

    Nena,

    You maybe right, but this is from family not the legal practice partnership a la Wooden or the last minute, let me get my Latinos friends "Ayuda Me Campaign "

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  10. Papi, riddle me this if KR is the voice of the Latino community, how is it that he only beat Angel Morales by 2 or 3 votes? He needs to spend less time at the Hartford golf club and more time in his district.

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  11. Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Anonymous, your post should read "Bart Halloran $20,000 in a week." Halloran is putting on a full court press for his future son in law.
    January 17, 2011 5:42 PM

    Nena,

    You maybe right, but this is from family not the legal practice partnership a la Wooden or the last minute, let me get my Latinos friends "Ayuda Me Campaign "

    January 17, 2011 5:53 PM
    Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Papi, riddle me this if KR is the voice of the Latino community, how is it that he only beat Angel Morales by 2 or 3 votes? He needs to spend less time at the Hartford golf club and more time in his district.


    Papi,

    You are absolutely right KR is not the apparent voice for the Latino community. Nena who is ???????

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  12. What really concerns me is that there don't seem to be that many truck drivers with "actual or perceived gender, including a person's self-image, appearance, expression or behavior" — whether or not it is different from the person's sex at birth."

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  13. Anonymous
    peter brush said...

    Pedrita Busha,
    desprieditopa - SEACABO

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  14. Anonymous peter brush said...

    What really concerns me is that there don't seem to be that many truck drivers with "actual or perceived gender, including a person's self-image, appearance, expression or behavior" — whether or not it is different from the person's sex at birth."

    January 17, 2011 6:40 PM


    Pedro DOA

    K Roldan , Our Next Mayor !!!!

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  15. January 17, 2011 6:40 PM


    Pedro DOA

    K Roldan , Our Next Mayor !!!!







    A Mike Peters - Supporter

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  16. No question in my mind that Cotto's big anti-non-bi-tri-gender ordinance has made snow plowing more effective this month. Can the Hartford taxpayers expect him to make further improvements in municipal service by emulating the very efficient Berkeley govt.?

    (CNSNews.com) - "While other cities are slashing employee benefits, Berkeley is slated to add one more: paying for sex-change operations," the San Francisco Chronicle reported on Tuesday.

    The Berkeley City Council was expected to vote Tuesday night on a proposal to reserve $20,000 annually for city employees' gender-reassignment surgery, which is not covered by the city's health insurance providers, the newspaper reported.

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  17. Hilarious, only on "We the people" can a blog posting about the efficiency (or lackthereof) of the city's snow plowing efforts morph into a back n forth regarding the fund raising efforts of mayoral candidates and then to legislation that has nothing to do with snow!

    Peanut gallery indeed...

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  18. Peanut gallery indeed...

    Greater Hartford's office market — a barometer for the health of the area's economy — grew even more fragile in 2010, with vacancy in downtown Hartford rising to levels not seen since the devastating recession of the early 1990s.

    Nearly one-third of all the office space in the city's central business district — 2.4 million square feet — is empty. And it could get worse this year, experts say.

    http://www.courant.com/business/hc-office-market-hartford-0118-20110117,0,7626247.story

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  19. Papi, I don't think there is anybody out there who can make that claim. Maybe because of the elections this year somebody will step up.

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  20. Snow removal--public works should know the patterns of people going to the XL Center for games. Many park in the State lots on Capitol and on the streets on the other side of Bushnell Park. Having the main paths in Bushnell Park plowed is essential. (Wheel chair story in Courant this AM) It is a real kindess to walkers and pets also to be able to get through the park.

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  21. Oh yes Nancy Macy. We would just like to go out to the bus stop and be able to board a bus without waiting in the street. The city still hasn't plowed from Park Terrace to Pope Park Highway the sidewalk and the bus stop.(all city property) Why should any person living in this city follow the cities rules when the city doesn't?

    We have been promised by 311 (liarers) 2 times that the snow would be removed today and it wasn't. There are lots of folks from the senior housing and PPT that use that stop and standing in a snowbank is not an option.

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  22. My hope is that when our guys get it together to appoint board members they will finally have representation for the lbgt community. This long municipal nightmare of discrimination against unusual gender guys will at last come to an end.

    HARTFORD — —

    The Hartford Parking Authority is being sued because it does not have a full, five-member board.

    The board currently has only two members: Patricia LeShane, the chairwoman, and Kenneth B. Lerman, the commissioner.

    The lawsuit was filed by Connecticut Parking Services Inc., a company that contracts with the authority. The suit comes nearly one month after the authority voted not to honor an agreement with the company. Prior to Dec. 9, Connecticut Parking Services operated the M&T parking lot at 1214-1218 Main St.

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  23. This Blog is becoming one sided and LAME !!!

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