Dear Editor:
In last week’s Hoboken Reporter, Donald Pellicano’s mean-spirited letter to Scott Gibson appeared. The letter included the following statement:
“It’s (the 916 Garden Garage) to be 100 percent automated and therefore should not require any technicians on site 24/7/365 to make it work.” It sounds like Pellicano is fishing for yet another excuse to find fault with Robotic Parking and have them removed from the project (as he did a couple of years ago with disastrous results – and Robotic’s eventual reinstatement).
Pellicano has told the public that Robotic’s technology did not work. He has told us Robotic was responsible for cost overruns on the project, but when Robotic responded they never got a dime more than they were due, he has not verified his claims (are we to believe the HPA has no canceled checks made out to Robotic for these supposed overruns?). Now Pellicano wants to claim that Robotic never told him there should be an attendant on duty at all times. In fact, Gerhard Haag was quoted in The Wall Street Journal on February 3, 1999 that an attendant should be on duty at the 916 Garden Street garage to deal with any contingencies. Haag primarily had in mind things like simple unfamiliarity with the system – it is the first in the nation after all, and lost cards (in which case the attendant would have to determine that this was the rightful owner making a claim, and would search the computer for the car’s location). Pellicano was fully aware of the need for an attendant, and Haag obviously was not keeping the fact a secret.
The purpose of having an automated garage at 916 Garden was not to try to save a parking attendant’s salary by spending millions on construction costs. At least, I sure hope not. The purpose of having an automated garage was to fit a lot of cars in a small space. Period. In this regard it’s worth remembering that RetroTech has long since signed off on the project, advising the HPA that it was completed satisfactorily in accordance with Robotic Parking’s contract.
I don’t know when we will get the facts on 916 Garden, but I am convinced we won’t get them from the people currently in charge, who are clearly involved with hiding something.
Adam Connors
Financial Staffing Director
Core Staffing, Inc.