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Why is the city paying extra to get get sidewalks repaired on the weekend?
03/03/2013 12:32 PM by John M
It’s kind of awesome to get new sidewalks, but neighbors wonder why the city is doing the work at overtime wages:
The past three or four weekends we’ve observed City crews replacing the sidewalks that border the Masonic Lodge at 25th and Leigh. It’s involved a decent-sized crew (maybe eight guys), three or four dump trucks, and a mini-bulldozer. The majority of the time, a couple guys are doing the work, while the remaining crew just stand around and observe. […]
As curious tax payers, we’re wondering what’s going on. Wondering why city workers are being paid time and half wages (and yes, they did admit to this when asked) for non-urgent work that could be done during the week. […]
TAGGED: 25th Street
Because the old dudes at the lodge are some of the more civicly engaged, well connected folk up here, and our councilwoman actually responds to requests. Workmen are also planting awesome trees TODAY on VENABLE. Lets be grateful.
Oh, I’m grateful for the attention that parts of the East End get. I think that these details are important for the life of the neighborhood.
Still, I think that you’re missing the point, Houdin. It is a very good question to raise: are our tax dollars are being spent frivolously to get this work done on the weekend, or is there a valid reason?
I agree Jasper. I too am grateful for all the improvements, but if some of them are coming with a time and half price tag, it’s doesn’t seem right. And as someone who has lives on this block, I can tell you that while the Leigh section of sidewalk was in need of replacing, the 25th Street section was in good shape. There are other blocks that lack sidewalks altogether that could use the City’s attention and resources.
I believe the money that is paid for their overtime pay is under a CIP(Capital Improvement Project) and not from the DPW funds. CIP work is usually contracted to a private company for a price, If the price is too high the city DPW workers are rewarded with the work because to save the city money, because the inflated prices the private contractor charges are not in the budget for a CIP. I worked for the city at one time and this is a cost saving measure for the city. Also I know first hand the city workers do not break bank with their salary.
Oh my gosh! THANK YOU for noticing this, too!
Meanwhile, on Main St up by the 4th/5th St area Downtown there are two huge potholes with traffic barrels stuck in them IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. If we are gonna have crews work on weekends, why can’t they fix the higher priority stuff?
I just hope they don’t run out of money before they get up to my area. Selfish, I know. The sidewalk next to my house is crumbling, full of sink holes and missing bricks. It is treacherous and I’ve watched countless older people trying to navigate it while walking to Mt. Carmel church, which is located on my block. It’s 25 feet of sidewalk but its necessary now that Lava Lofts is full and parking is at a premium. I’ve politely requested repairs – then begged and threatened – all to no avail. The people to contact are Cynthia Newbille/Samuel Patterson. At Richmond CPW, the people in charge of sidewalks are Anthony Harding (Anthony.Harding@richmondgov.com) and Bobby Vincent (Bobby.Vincent@richmondgov.com), although good luck getting a response from either of them. I don’t know who they think they work for but it certainly isn’t the tax payers in the city of Richmond.
On the subject of brick sidewalks but a different area, the city recently replaced the sidewalks down at 21st and Franklin Streets primarily in front of the two vacant brick houses that are complete shells. I still can’t figure out the priority on that project. Nor can I figure out how the owner of the two shells can just leave scaffolding there and not get cited by the city for something.
Liberals always say, ” the govt should…”, and this is your govt. at work. The great govt. gonna take care of everything. Tim Kaine couldn’t keep the rest-area bathrooms open, but i want him taking care of my health care. Thanks liberals and fake conservatives.
@Reighning – Your assumptions are really shallow. Please leave your broad-stroke political jibber jabber comments somewhere else, they don’t really work here.
I’m glad that its getting done.
Those are city trucks in the pictures so one would assume it is city crews.
I wish the city would get implement some sort of project management system to minimize waste and ensure work done correctly. They seem to work on the same potholes repeatedly, dig up main street downtown every winter, work strange hours, and leave equipment idle at jobsites for months on end. HE LL, ther there is an excavator that has been sittling idle at govermnent and stony run (down the hill by the subsidized housing) for well over a year.
I remember an audit several years ago in which the city could never determine exactly how many city vehicles there were and who drove them. I bet the same holds true for equipment.
@chpn – thank you! I am so tired of every discussion these days eventually turning into a political one! Can we just have a discussion about issues??
@22 – boo for censorship. I agree it was a pretty idiotic comment but we can all decide that on our own. No need to be PC-police.
Hey alex,
It wasn’t that comment, it was the ignorant follow up.
Yeah, the readers can certainly decide that on their own, but really there are plenty of other places to have that conversation. Want that type of discourse using a stupid pseudonym? Go to Craigslist or the RTD or the TV station websites. They’d all love the pageviews.
Or would you like to add something meaningful to a community conversion?
thank you John. I have stated before, when there is the cover of anonymity, civility and appreciation for facts are easier to ignore. I think people should have to use their real names on blogs. If whatever they are saying is worth saying, and whatever statement of facts they state are accurate then why hide?
BTW The See Click Fix http://seeclickfix.com/richmond system works wonders for a lot of the issues mentioned in this discussion. Once you submit an issue you get an emailed response with a reference number. Concerned citzens can vote on a particular issue to give it weight and if the responding city department can’t or won’t get to the task they’ll respond and tell you why. I’ve used it to get storm drains cleared, pot holes filled, traffic lights repaired, yard waste removed, etc. in Fulton. In many cases the city doesn’t know there is a problem until a citizen reports it. Not sure how things are prioritized though.
Thanks, spacecat, for mentioning the seeclickfix.com site. I’d forgotten about it! I wonder if there is a way to pull out the CH items and keep a talley of them on the CHPN site, so we can all remember to check it regularly and vote. I am assuming the more votes for an issue, the more likely that said issue will get addressed/fixed.
Jean #25, I used to post under my real name but a couple of years ago someone posted something that felt threatening to me, and John was kind enough to pull it off the thread (with a comment to me that it had a fake email addy). From then on I have used my initials, but most people who know me know my initials (including you, I think).
John, thanks for the censorship – usually I don’t like it but right now I’m strongly behind you on that one. Thanks for all you do for this blog, too!
spacecat #26, I agree and i use clickfix. However, last night I got an update on it that was someone arguing about a parking ticket through clickfix, and I’m really not sure that is the correct venue to do an appeal for a ticket. Hope the person figures it out soon. But in general I’ve had great luck with stuff like bulk trash removal with that site.
@Lucky – I added SEE CLICK FIX to the main site nav some months back, check this out: /see-click-fix/
I see it! Thank you – it’s perfect!
crd, You make my point! the coward that threatened you even had a fake email. I have been threatened too, and when I issued an open invitation to meet, that coward suddenly shut up!!! Out of curiosity, I went through two years of postings and without exception this “D. N.” was exceptionally negative and snarky in their comments, often ignoring the stated facts.
Actually, Jean, you yourself are one of the key reasons anonymity is still good in blog comments. You amplified a culture of negative tone with your own bullying and innacurate comment about the house tour and the newsletter. Because you choose to troll the comments with your name blazoned, does not mean the rest of us need expose ourselves to your conspiracy theories and unneighborliness. Go back and look at your first post on that issue. Anyone even partly informed would rightly and reasonably think your sole purpose was to maliciously sow discord. In the meantime, those with information please continue to rebut the uninformed, under anonymity, in the long and just tradition of journalism!
I thought this thread was about sidewalks….I wonder if Buddy Corbett has anything to say on this.
Just what is the problem? Is it that you just don’t like to see unleashed dogs?
The new walkways are beautiful!
When are we getting the unicorn petting zoo? I am so sick of waiting.