It has just recently grown debatable how immediate and dire is the City of Pittsburgh's financial peril, but today we are reminded that only six months ago, our vulnerabilities were laid bare to a more palpable kind of emergency.
Are there any correlations? It would appear so:
Recommendation #4: It is the finding of the Task Force that the City must invest in larger scale plowing and dumping equipment, especially large dump trucks, grades, back hoes and high lifts...
Recommendation #5: It is the finding of the Task Force that the City must make it a priority to purchase public safety vehicles that are capable of responding in all potential emergency situations, especially snow-related emergencies... (TFEOSP, click through to Final Report)
Those are two out of nine recommendations in the 275-page report, so clearly there is much more to chew over. I may read this one in its entirely; it looks set up to be a thriller.
MORE: Trib, P-G, newer P-G (with DPW director Rob Kaczorowski reacting a mite defensively).
Let us know when you get to the part of stripping Iggle's shelves of TP, milk, and bread. Esp. TP.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear the Task Force wisely concluded that Pittsburgh's traditional bad-weather coping strategies of panicking, hoarding, and imperiously seizing and defending formerly public territory on City streets should continue.
ReplyDeleteI cemented my chair into the street. Now nobody can take my spot.
ReplyDeleteWe had to get rid of our heavy snow removal equipment in the last budget crisis. It's not as if our revenue streams have been quickening in the time since. If suburban commuters and students want city services like...SNOW REMOVAL...they are going to have to understand that they need to help pay for them.
ReplyDeleteTelling us that the city needs more equipment and folks to operate it...ok yeah, ya think? Hey, THANKS.
Anon 3:25 - To be fair, there were also a lot of recommendations in that report about better contingency planning and interdepartmental communications. To be impish, when it comes to upgrading our core assets which will lead to cost savings, operational efficiencies and improved capacity in our neighborhoods for years to come, there are ways we might finance such an initiative. It may all be a wiser use of any prospective "overage" than anything we've yet discussed. A timely report.
ReplyDeleteWhile it would be great to buy some kickass snow removal monsters. These are little used assets that would depreciate in value.
ReplyDeleteQuickly.
Must faster than parking assets...
Our city doesn't need more, larger equipment that they cant afford to maintain. We'd be better served if the city knew their limitations, instead of placating to retirees.
ReplyDeletePurchase and maintain resources for highly probable inclement weather events, and not for a 100, 50, or even a 25-yr event. If they cant handle a snowfall over 4 inches, fine, at least their being honest with themselves. Provide IDIQ contracts for support services during events beyond the limits of the city's resources. Contracts could be paid through the URA with economic development money.
If they cant handle a snowfall over 4 inches, fine, at least their being honest with themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf they could handle a snowfall of three inches, I probably wouldn't write-in various obscene phrases when I don't have a non-incumbent choice on the ballot.