The early edition of Monday night's Council Meeting Agenda lists 4 Ordinances for second reading and a total of 10 Resolutions; of which 5 are not on the Consent Agenda. There is nothing listed under unfinished business yet there were 3 items at the Agenda Setting Session. I am sure that they will be added before the meeting which otherwise could be over before it starts. I shall check the support material Saturday am.
Once again we return to the subject of Plainfield's streets. Pothole repair seems to have become a lost task. Councilor Reid so noted last Monday that Leland Ave from the brook south is full of surface breaks and increasing holes.
Watchung Ave from Leland to Woodland has at least 6 tire/axle breakers. I know that in the spring it is supposed to be resurfaced, but that doesn't mean that the public should be place "at risk" for injury or expensive auto damage.
While Cushing Rd has as of this moment no deep pot holes; it has extensive loss of upper pavement surfaces. The problem here is compounded by neither Plainfield or Scotch Plains seems to have assumed responsibility.
This is also a reminder that the report and recommendations on the City's streets has been delivered to the Council in draft format. When will it be available for public distribution? How will it be altered for petty local politics?
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Plainfield it seems will never learn "a stitch in time saves 9". I will actually drive longer distances to avoid certain streets in the city...it's so amazing how other cities and municipalities have "road fairies" that magically take care of their roads. Maybe one day we'll be adopted by one.
ReplyDeleteA municipality is not immune from lawsuits over neglect to maintain infrastructure. The key is that the municipality must have knowledge of the defect. Civic-minded citizens who call in potholes or hanging tree limbs or other similar situations in the public right-of-way should keep a record of the call and the person receiving it - a note on your calendar will suffice. It may help a person who suffers damage or injury from that defect at a later date.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if Plainfield uses any system for collecting these types of calls and following through with them. Many towns use only a telephone message pad or a sticky note or some other scrap of paper, all of which are easily lost or misplaced.
A simple database could be used to record the call and assign the task and then record the result. A monthly report would list those items not yet corrected, assuring some accountability. Not only does that help the City avoid liability, but it also works to see that the reported defects are repaired in a a reasonable time.