HUDSON — Mayor Kamal Johnson and Department of Public Works Superintendent Rob Perry took exception Tuesday to what they said was a communication breakdown with the Common Council during a debate on a state grant for water main replacement in the city.
The Hudson Common Council approved a state grant application seeking funds for a water main replacement project on Robinson Street and 3rd Street during the council’s regular meeting on Tuesday night.
If secured, the State Water Infrastructure Improvement & Intermunicipal Grant would fund 60% of the project’s estimated cost of $1,026,260.
Under the terms of the resolution, the city would agree to contribute approximately $410,000 in matching funds for the project through a bond resolution if the state grant is obtained.
Hudson Common Council President Thomas DePietro said Wednesday if the city is chosen for the grant, the city’s portion to complete the project could potentially derive from the city’s water fund.
During the council’s debate on the resolution, 1st Ward Councilmember Margaret Morris asked for more information on the project from Hudson Department of Public Works Superintendent Rob Perry before voting on the measure.
Perry, who had appeared virtually earlier in the meeting to present his department report, was no longer on the video call or in attendance in the City Hall meeting room.
“I don’t really feel comfortable voting on this with such sparse information,” Morris said. “The person who wants it pushed through because of the application date isn’t here to speak to it.”
Morris added that she would prefer to schedule a special meeting for next week to hear from Perry and dig into the resolution further.
“I understand your concerns but this is one of the major things the city has to provide for its citizens, is safe drinking water,” 2nd Ward Councilmember Mohammed Rony said.
More detailed information is necessary, Morris said.
“I personally would like to have information presented in an organized fashion with some detail as to what the problem is and what the solution is,” she said.
Fifth Ward Councilmember Vicky Daskaloudi then made a motion to table the resolution for a future meeting, but the measure failed when the board ended up deadlocked at 5-5 on the motion. The board then voted to approve the water main grant resolution, with Morris, Daskaloudi and 1st Ward Councilmember Art Frick the dissenting votes in the 7-3 affirmative tally.
DePietro said Wednesday the project, which would see the city replace 1,200 linear feet of a 125-year-old water main on Robinson Street and 3rd Street, would be a vital infrastructure improvement for the city.
“The upgrading of our water infrastructure is an ongoing project that will go on for a number of years, and this was just another segment of it,” DePietro said. “It’s not something that really needs a lot of analysis. We know that the pipes are decaying and outdated and this has to be done. So to me it was a no-brainer.”
Perry took exception Wednesday with the council’s surprise at his absence from the meeting during the discussion on the water main grant.
“I was there presenting and these resolutions were on the city’s website on Monday,” he said. “They had a whole 24 hours to review the resolutions and either prepare questions to ask me at the meeting or even call me during the day.”
Perry said Fifth Ward councilmembers Daskaloudi and Dominic Merante are in regular contact with his office.
“They routinely call in advance of a meeting or email with questions throughout the month,” Perry said. “The other eight aldermen never ask any questions to the department. We’re full-time employees and we’re here all the time. If they have a question, we’re available to answer questions. So to not ask me before the meeting and to not ask me when I was actually at the meeting and then to complain that I wasn’t available when they wanted me there, we don’t just sit around waiting to be called upon. We have lives, so that’s what’s aggravating.”
In the comment portion of the meeting, Rony said he concurred with Morris’ earlier point about the board being provided with more information on the resolutions they’re voting on.
“I definitely agree with Margaret’s sentiment, especially with important things where city money is going to be spent,” Rony said. “I think whoever it is that’s presenting in the future things that are going to cost the city amounts of money should be present. Or at least prior to the meeting present us with enough data, so we don’t have the council fighting each other. For the most part we’ve been very united on this in most cases. Obviously we’ll have disagreements, but I think this was a situation that could have been solved very easily.”
When Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson appeared virtually at the end of the meeting, he praised Mayoral Aide Michael Hofmann for his efforts in securing a grant for exercise equipment for Charles William Park.
Johnson then criticized the council for its earlier discussions about the water main grant and funding for the city’s hiring of an Indigenous programming consultant.
“There’s a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes that we as an executive branch never talk about,” Johnson said. “We reach out to council members all of the time through email, through every means of communication and there’s a lot of times that we never get responses. Half of you guys don’t even show up to half of the community events that are being presented. Half of you guys aren’t even in the country half the time, so if we want to talk about putting forth effort, we’ve been more than forthcoming in reaching out to council members.”
