Another HCTV Softball Shower

Advocating for development while ignoring unsafe conditions now for HHA residents

Those softballs keep coming!

Yesterday, Fernando Uribe of HCTV let ad-buyer 2nd Ward Councilwoman Beth Mason filibuster her advocacy of Vision 20/20 because the proposal addresses 'flooding' in that part of Hoboken-- while 14 brand new model generators specially-designed for Hoboken's flooding conditions languish uninstalled in an HHA parking lot.

FM Generator, the generator sales and services company hired by the HHA, described how its new model generators  were designed to 'survive' the next flood in Hoboken in their November 1, 2013 blog post:
The new generator sets are constructed with specialized stands which raise the vital components 36 inches from the top of the generator cement pad. This will help keep the water out should it rise again.  FM Generator field engineers worked with Blue Star Generator set manufacturers to custom-design the enclosures to be sound attenuated and mounted on the special bases. The generators needed to be shipped on special pallets and trucks to accommodate the extra height.  Construction and installation will begin shortly. 
According to FM generator, installation of HHA generators was expected to be complete in May 2014.

Um, yeah.  Here's what the softball throwers at The Hudson Reporter wrote last February:
The risk that the current cold weather poses to residents is not worth taking right now, said Garcia, who added that for the time being, there is no rush to install the new generators.     Because of the larger size of the new generators, and because rewiring that must be completed to accommodate their increased power, the HHA must wait until the snow has melted before engineers can begin the installation process.
No rush.

Back-up generators power exit signs, emergency lighting, fire alarm systems, electric motor pumps for sprinklers, smoke isolation dampers, smoke evacuation fans, handicap doors.

No rush.

So while the media tosses softballs at Beth Mason for advocating a redevelopment proposal to allegedly provide 'flood safe' buildings for HHA residents over an estimated 10-year construction schedule, HHA buildings can be made flood-safe NOW with the installation of the brand-new model generators designed for Hoboken that will keep the buildings powered in a flood emergency and a fire emergency.

No rush. 

Hey Fernando, how about growing a pair and getting Garcia and Mason on the record about why these generators are still sitting in plastic wrap in the HHA parking lot?

How about asking why no one is advocating to make the HHA buildings safe for people living there NOW? 

G-d forbid there is a fire.  

No rush.

Comments

  1. its obvious what they're doing. let the buildings deteriorate. don't install generators. maybe somebody gets killed. vision 20/20 becomes inevitable. the media is complicit.

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    1. Yes, Carmelo removed all the fire safety equipment & fire extinguishers. Hmm, wonder why? Perhaps, it wasn't just so the buildings would be condemned by the Fire Dept. If there were a Convenient fire, Vision $/$ would be inevitable, right? Wonder if all those unusual fire dept calls to housing that never existed before Carmelo became the HHA Director caused by so-called "tenants" or "guests" dropping lit cigarettes down the trash shoots were really done by said tenants or guests. I mean who drops lit cigarettes down trash shoots?

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  2. HCTV reminds me of a high-school TV class project. Get some enthusiastic, well-intentioned but harmless guy who's not a real journalist to meet with "community leaders" and let them say whatever they want, unquestioningly. No objectivity, no digging for facts, no asking hard questions, just "thanks for taking the time to meet" arselicking.

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    1. Ahh, there's a difference between inexperienced 14 year old trying to impress their teachers and experienced, paid 30 or 40+ year olds with journalistic training? One is clearly naive and a**kissing? the other, hmm, makes you wonder what the motivation can be other than purely economical.

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  3. I have to disagree with you, GA. Those are 12" softballs, and they could still hurt thrown with enough speed. In Chicago, they use 16" softballs which are basically filled to the brim with teddy bear stuffing. These appear to be more in line with what is being thrown by HCTV.

    http://www.s3boston.com/why-we-use-a-16-softball/

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    1. Ha! Yep, I admit to scale issues in that graphic. They're Nerf balls!

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  4. You have written about the generators a lot. You sent several emails to HUD. What was the response, was there any?
    You lit into Dean for quoting an anonymous hud spokesman and went as far as to imply that he even made it up. If they are not getting back to a taxpayer maybe that lends credence writing asking about this for weeks but have you asked the hha board about these thigns? Or anyone? I am beginning to think hey at least the HR asked someone besides carmello, they asked hud. If you are going to spend all this time speculating why not ask one of the people whose job it is to find out,
    Carmelo is a lousy administrator to say the least but what happened with the mails you sent HUD weeks ago?

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    1. You just left a lengthy "that's racist" comment on MSV, didn't you? Got a lot on yr mind today.

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    2. Nice try. Tell your boss to get off his arse and have those generators installed.

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  5. Somewhat off topic, but Mason's sham 501(c)(3) headquarters is all tricked out for Easter, the most solemn holy day on the Christian calendar. WTF?

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  6. the comment about hud has a very similar writing style to a certain floperative. that said, why not answer the question? if hud did not respond to your emails, tell us. did they respond and back up what was in the hr? if we critize other media, why hide the responses?

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