Seven weeks before the traditional date of Winter Walk, the Hudson Hall website is still sharing this message:
Please note: Walk Walk 2020 has yet to be confirmed due to ongoing concerns relating to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Given the enormous amount of work involved in planning and staging Winter Walk, not to mention the current rising number of COVID-19 infections, it seems unlikely that Winter Walk 2020 will happen. Yesterday, Gossips learned of another holiday disappointment.
At the Board of Estimate and Apportionment (BEA) yesterday, city treasurer Heather Campbell presented a request from the Department of Public Works for authorization to spend $3,000 to put the fairy lights in the trees along Warren Street this year. Because of the City's dire financial situation, the BEA--Mayor Kamal Johnson, Council president Tom DePietro, and Campbell--decided that only half that amount would be approved and just every other tree along Warren Street would be decorated with lights for the holidays and through the long, bleak months of winter.
COPYRIGHT 2020 CAROLE OSTERINK
We need a Go Fund Me Campaign for $3000 so we can have all the trees lit for December.
ReplyDeleteStart one. I’ll donate.
DeleteIf one of the redundant aldermen from each ward would do the right thing and resign the City could afford the lights — for 10 years. But why would our “leaders” lead when they can continue to evade and avoid the difficult decisions while still getting paid by the taxpayers? Pathetic.
ReplyDeleteWhich alderman from each ward should step down, John? Should they pick straws to see who goes? Oldest one goes? Would you have resigned in the same situation? I doubt it.
DeleteI don't care which one quits. Drawing straws sounds good but if by age it should be the youngest to go. I think I would go in a heartbeat, though hypotheticals are pointless outside the academic setting. It is worth noting, though, that when I finally did quit, both my work load and stress levels went way down. The benefit of an alderperson quoting now is they can say "I couldn't take the inaction and lack of management, the inability to sustain a coherent thought or actually lead us through a crisis, so I quit to work in the community." That would actually be compelling at some level as opposed to sitting on their hands with the public tit squarely between their teeth.
DeleteHudson Hall is planning a scaled-down Hudson Safe Winter Walk to mark the occasion and promote Hudson for the Holidays through December. No street closure, but Santa has promised to Zoom in. More soon!
ReplyDeleteI like Jennifer's suggestion of having a GO FUND ME campaign to raise the $3000 IF there is no other way to come up with the cash for this. For a City known for entertaining real estate tax breaks to the wealthy during a pandemic, cutting a decorating budget for Christmas, to darken the lights that bring the holidays to life and give joy to so many, is a sorry state; sure puts the City's poor money management and inability to prioritize on display.
ReplyDeleteToo bad we spent all of the tourism tax dollars on projects that won't do much for the community as a whole or tourism. I don't know why the fiscal irresponsibility continues to shock me. Clearly, we have no understanding of economics. Are we still solvent??
ReplyDelete-Kristal Heinz