A Sad Outcome for Dogs and for Hudson

In the past twenty years, there have been a few nights at City Hall that could take your breath away--not in a good way. Last night was one of them.

Alderman Delaney

When the attention of the Council turned to the local law "Amending Dog Licensing Procedures and Abolishing the Prohibition of Dogs at the Henry Hudson Waterfront Park," Alderman Bart Delaney (Fifth Ward) immediately moved to strike Section 5-3, the part that repealed the ban on dogs in riverfront park. At that point, by some previously worked out orchestration, Alderman John Friedman (Third Ward), chair of the Legal Committee, which had proposed the amendments, presented to his fellow aldermen the petition, which Gossips had delivered to the alderman electronically earlier in the day, when it had 175 signatures, and which, as it was printed in preparation for the meeting, had 191 signatures. (The petition now has 204 signatures, but it doesn't matter anymore.)

Alderman Donahue

Upon receiving the petition, the first words out of the mouth of Alderman "Doc" Donahue (Fifth Ward) were, "Does that mean 191 people will be walking their dogs there?" A bit later in the discussion, Friedman described his experience of walking his dog regularly in riverfront park, attesting to the respectful, law-abiding behavior of other dog walkers. He asked Donahue how often he visited riverfront park, commenting, "I've never seen you there." Donahue countered, "I only go down there when you're not there."

Alderman Garriga

Alderman Tiffany Garriga (Second Ward) made two comments that seem to get to the heart of the problem. She expressed the opinion that there should be a dog park separate from riverfront park, and she observed that "a lot of people who signed the petition have backyards." Her comments suggest that she, and the rest of the aldermen who opposed the repeal, think that the only reason people leave their houses with their dogs in tow is to allow the dogs to relieve themselves. The notion that people walk with their dogs--on the street, in a park, or anywhere--for the simple joy of being outdoors in the company of their best friends, or that they, as a matter of course, take their dogs with them as they go about their daily routines, appears to be completely foreign to Garriga et al,, and the dog owners of Hudson must suffer from their constrained experience and imagination.

Alderman Stewart

It was disappointing when Alderman Ohrine Stewart (Fourth Ward), chair of the Arts, Entertainment & Tourism Committee, asked if the 191 people who signed the petition lived in Hudson. How is that relevant? Are our parks open only to Hudson residents? Does the opinion of people who work in Hudson, own businesses in Hudson, frequently visit Hudson, or in some way have a stake in Hudson's future count for nothing? Alderman Nick Haddad (First Ward) estimated that 75 percent of the signatures on the petition were from Hudson residents, and Gossips' calculations confirm that Haddad was pretty much spot on. 

Needless to say, the effort to repeal the prohibition on dogs in Henry Hudson Riverfront Park failed. The (weighted) vote was 1,373 to 560. Those voting in favor of the repeal were Council president Don Moore and aldermen David Marston (First Ward), Nick Haddad (First Ward), and John Friedman (Third Ward). Those voting against it were, predictably, Garriga, Abdus Miah (Second Ward), Stewart, Delaney, Donahue, and, surprisingly, Henry Haddad (Third Ward).

Alderman Henry Haddad

The younger Haddad maintained that he was representing his constituents' wishes when he voted to continue the ban on dogs in riverfront park. By Gossips' calculations, however, more than 25 percent of the people who signed the petition to repeal the ban--about 50 of 204--live in the Third Ward, and one of them made this comment: "Dogs on leashes, tidied up after, are a wonderful addition to our lives and community. I am in Ward 3, Henry Haddad is my Alderman, and I ask him to please re-consider and make Hudson more welcoming to folks who wish to visit our city with their canine companions. Dogs allowed will enhance our city. Please repeal the prohibition on puppies. Thank you!" Clearly, that appeal fell on deaf ears, if it was ever actually read by Haddad.

Bad decisions are not without consequences. After the vote was taken, Mary Udell, who assists her husband in videotaping the Common Council meetings, called the Council's decision "absolutely insane." She left the room immediately, saying that the Udells were going to stop videotaping Common Council meetings. Dan Udell continued taping the meeting until it was adjourned, but he told Gossips that this was the end. He was disgusted by the majority opinion of the Council and would no longer volunteer his services to document their proceedings.
COPYRIGHT 2014 CAROLE OSTERINK