The Bad Neighbors – Some Just Don’t Seem To Care
Dir. Dept. of Public Works Frank Dann
PERTH AMBOY – Controversy was not limited to the Perth Amboy Board of Education Meeting held 2/6/14. The Caucus Meeting of 2/10/14 and the Council Meeting of 2/12/14 followed suit.
One topic of discussion pertained to the marina. Councilman Kenneth Gonzalez was concerned about the sediment buildup caused by Superstorm Sandy. The City sent correspondence to the Office of Dredging and Sediment Technology asking for help with sediment removal due to the storm.
The reply sent back from that office was a denial because they believed that condition was preexisting and not the result of Sandy. This statement was given by Business Administrator Greg Fehrenbach at the 2/12/14 Caucus Meeting.
Letters of discontent from the City were sent to Congressman Pallone, Senator Vitale and Assemblymen Wisniewski and Coughlin.
Pallone and Vitale sent back acknowledgements.
Fehrenbach continued, “The City was denied despite the fact that they had sent engineering reports and photos of the sediment before and after Sandy to support the City’s claims.”
Councilman Gonzalez said, “Perhaps we need to have our findings sent to Robert Mainberger. Have him forward more to the Dredging and Sediment Office.”
Mainberger is Hatch Mott MacDonald PE, CME, Senior Vice President and a Civil Engineer. He has been overseeing damage done to the Perth Amboy Waterfront Pre and Post Superstorm Sandy.
Snow removal or the lack of it was a heated topic. Public Works Director Frank Dann defended his department, “The last storm that we had (prior to the 2/10/14 Caucus meeting) caused us to double the amount of ice removal material used. There have been 12 snow events. (before this meeting) We have been extremely low on salt. The next storm coming on Thursday (2/13/14) will determine where we are at. We are working with the Middlesex County Coop to get more salt. We also received 2 donated trucks of salt from the Morton Salt Company. (Located in Perth Amboy)”
Fehrenbach mentioned, “Morton Salt donated the salt because they could not sell it to us because we are not one of their customers.”
Dann continued, “Some employees went to the hospital because of snow and ice related injuries. Some returned to light duty. The snow has taken a toll on the equipment and our manpower has been pushed into overtime. We can’t plow if we can’t salt. In some cases we have mixed sand with the salt to give us traction. Our vehicles are breaking down – the older ones because of fatigue but they are being fixed. Our salt spreaders are at 100%. We are requesting $5000 in emergency funds. Our suppliers of salt have plenty, but are selling our allotment to others because they are offering to our suppliers a higher price.”
B.A. Fehrenbach said, “We had to threaten those suppliers with a breach of contract.”
Dann said, “Salt and liquid calcium causes steel and electrical parts in our equipment to break down. We are also in the process of trying to fill in as many potholes has possible. We are using a hot material for this. The pothole situation has gotten better from three years ago. We are in constant contact with people about the crosswalks by the schools.”
Then it came time for the Council to speak. Council President Joel Pabon was not happy about some of the sidewalks not being cleared by their owners: the sidewalks bordering Fink Park (corner of Smith and Madison see photo Amboy Guardian 2/12/14 page 11), the Alpine Cemetery Sidewalks (Amboy Avenue) and the small pedestrian railroad bridges (several locations).
Dann said, “All the plows are working and we have our personnel at full force. We can put salt and sand on the bridges.”
Councilwoman Lisa Nanton said, “I know that we can’t put the snow into the river but what about taking it and put- ting piles in the park for the kids to play on.”
Dann replied, “This has been a very unusual winter and we just don’t have the time right now.”
Councilman Fernando Irizarry brought up the fact that petroleum and other products in the soil (at the parks) will make this dangerous.
Fehrenbach said, “We can’t do this on Second Street because of the remediation going on.”
Code Enforcement Director Ed Scala came forward to answer some questions, one of them dealing with certain businesses not clearing their sidewalks. “The City is no longer involved with maintaining Fink Park. It’s the owner’s responsibility. Another business was issued 30 summonses.”
Pabon also sited another property, which is a gas station. “I don’t know if we will get in trouble if I say its name,” but Pabon did give the exact location. Pabon continued, “Every storm it’s the same thing. They don’t seem to care. (About clearing their sidewalks bordering their property) We let them go every year.”
