Friday, February 15, 2013

Your Daily Spin: Snow Job aka Blizzard of Lies

Today the Mess posted an article of an interview with Public Works committee chair Councilman Todd Berch and Mayor Drew addressing criticisms of the plan of action taken during last weeks blizzard.

Mayor Drew said that the crews were "working around the clock" (didn't he?) but then the public was told that they couldn't plow because of "visibility" issues. Which is it? Were they out plowing or pulled back to City Yard for their own safety?

If the crews were called back out of concern for their own safety as the Mayor has said, why wasn't that part of any of the robocalls the public got all weekend? It would have been a legitimate decision. What is incomprehensible is the duplicity of this administration. This mayor seems incapable of candor; he always has a story when it is totally unnecessary.

It is very clear that a conscious decision was made to pull the trucks off their routes sometime Friday night. Many citizens have said they saw or heard no trucks. Why can't they just admit it? They chose a course of action; now stand by it. Somebody decided that it was better to wait it out and launch a cleanup effort after the storm ended rather than stay in the field and plow while snow was still falling. This, however, was not communicated to the populace even once. Instead, press releases were issued, robocalls went out and pre-recorded messages were put on the City's phones, all making inaccurate representations about the cleanup effort and impossible projections as to when roads would be passable.

Finally, to refresh everybody's memory and provide a little perspective: It is reported that this storm delivered 32" of snow. The December 26, 2010 storm dropped 29" on Middletown. And then Middletown got hit again on the weekend. The city was fully passable within 24 hours; no streets were left untouched. All references to this being the most snow in 100 years notwithstanding, it doesn't explain the marked difference in response.It is recorded that Middletown 29" because that issue was relevant to eligibility for FEMA reimbursement which in fact the City got in 2010.

MEA CULPA: Irony is that that even when confronted with reality, this administration continues down the path that got them in the mess to begin with.  As one anonymous commented on the article said:  
"A humble acknowledgement of their poor and inept planning (or lack of it), combined with an apology and a sincere attempt to improve things next time around would go a long way and help earn back lost respect."
We couldn't agree more.

9 comments:

  1. DD needs to man up and admit that his efforts fell short. Powerful Dems are watching, and unless he changes course, his once so bright future has dimmed considerably. Right now he is a pariah in his own party.

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  2. I worked that night and I was never pulled off the road because it was dangerous.

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  3. 32 inches in how much time?

    29 inches in how much time?

    That's the real factor here.

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  4. Danny Boy will never tell the public he made a mistake. He is just too arrogant and narcisstic.

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  5. so was national guard involved or not?

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  6. Is Debra Milardo a writer for the Insider? Everyone says she is. Also her husband's work comp clamins cost more then the entire city clean up for the storm. Post his claims and cost . People will be amazed.

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  7. Anon 11:11 I sure hope you are a chick because your obsession with the retired Parks Supers body parts is getting a little creepy! If you are a dude... get some help.

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  8. To Anonymous of 2-17-13, 11:11am.

    You are quite the stalker! Why don't you give the answer to your continuing question about workers compensation? I don't understand your questioning? If someone gets injured on the job, is it illegal to go on workers compensation?
    On the other issue if Deb Milardo is writing for the Insider, if she was...she would sign her name to her articles..., not be a coward like you.

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  9. I guess my only real complaint was the lack of communication with the public when their roads would be plowed. Why didn't the city do as other towns and use the cities website to keep folks up to date. That would have helped people to have some hope.

    What I don't think people want to see is that all roads are passable by a certain day or time when in fact they are not.

    ReplyDelete

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