DPW COMMISSIONER TERRENCE HORTON PART #2

Mount Vernon DPW commissioner defends sidewalk projects by his properties

MOUNT VERNON - The commissioner of the Department of Public Works has had city crews replace sidewalks and curbs near his personal properties in two separate projects since summer.

Terrence Horton insisted his role as a commissioner had no bearing on the selection of those projects and said both streets had hazards that needed to be addressed. The commissioner said he could not neglect problems on a street just because he lived there or owned property there.

"What would be equally embarrassing is if a commissioner has numerous problems and had not done anything about it," said Horton, who was appointed commissioner in March.

The DPW jobs took place near a senior citizen housing complex on 265 S. Columbus Ave. and a condominium complex at 434 Franklin Ave. that Horton's development company, QFI Inc., built and owns.

Typically, DPW evaluates a property after a citizen makes a complaint about sidewalk conditions, Horton said. After that, a supervisor will go look at the site and determine whether there is root damage caused by city trees and tripping hazards.

Taryn Vanderberg, a DPW timekeeper who has advised homeowners on sidewalk policy, said the department fixed only sidewalk damage caused by city trees; otherwise, the owner of the private property is responsible for the sidewalk replacement. The city typically replaces only the section of sidewalk where the root damage exists, she and other DPW workers said.

At Columbus Avenue, the work stretched for more than half a block across the street from the senior building. On Franklin Avenue, crews laid new sidewalk on large stretches of the block on both sides of the street.

DPW employees familiar with the projects maintained there was no root damage at either property. The workers declined to give their names.

Horton disputed the accounts of his employees. He and Public Works Supervisor Rudy Persaud showed a reporter pictures of broken sidewalks caused by root growth that they said were taken on Franklin Avenue, where the repairs were later made.

Horton also showed a copy of a letter sent through registered mail on Sept. 11 from a Franklin Avenue resident complaining about the condition of sidewalks on the block where work was done. The resident said trees had grown and uprooted sidewalks so the pavement was uneven and dangerous. She said she had gone to the city DPW offices many times to complain.

A constituent complaint log also shows there were several calls about sidewalk conditions on the block last year. Horton said the city prioritizes sites with documented citizen complaints so the city can avoid liability in court.

Horton also defended the work on Columbus Avenue, saying it was required because a tree had uprooted during a bad storm in May and lifted up part of the sidewalk.

Horton said that, as commissioner, he instituted a new policy whereby DPW fixes not just patches of broken sidewalk, but instead repairs larger stretches of sidewalk to make sure there is proper elevation, drainage and handicap accessibility. In the past, he said, patchwork repairs meant DPW crews often had to return to the same sites to fix problems, wasting time and resources.

"We unilaterally fix everything that needs to be done," he said.

Horton said the projects on Franklin and Columbus were among several completed since he took office, and that overall more than 2,000 linear feet of sidewalk had been replaced.

In a related matter, The Teamsters Local 456, which represents the city's DPW workers, has filed grievances with union management related to the sidewalk project on Franklin Avenue.

The union members charged that part of the sidewalk replacement work was done by a private contractor, M. Zonzini Pipeline Services of New Rochelle. They maintain it is a violation of their contract to have private companies do work that DPW union employees already do.

Horton said Zonzini was brought onto Franklin Avenue - and has worked at many other city projects - to do specialized work where manholes, storm drains and gas boxes are involved. He said he has helped DPW reduce its reliance on private contractors by instituting more training for his staff in quality control, site assessment and other skills.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• VID00001