To the Editor:
I would like to commend two PSE&G executives. First, Rich Dwyer, now living here and is an asset to our community as a true spokesman of PSE&G. He really speaks well to TV, speaks at groups, and is a fantastic sports announcer at Don Ahern Veterans Memorial Stadium for Marist and Bayonne High Schools in his spare time. I inquired about a large number of street lights out around North Hook Road, Hook Road, Avenue J, East Second Street, East 22nd Street, Ingham, Pulaski streets as well as Mayor Dennis P. Collins Park, as most of these areas are important for homeland security and we pay for the lights to work or not work. He immediately called and mailed Bob Mahlbacher, PSE&G distribution supervisor of the Construction Dept. of Palisades Division and also our Hudson County Office of Emergency Management liaison, who came here to allow me to show him around town.
The problem that I described was not having exact pole numbers (in some cases) or exact addresses (desolate roads) or other obstructions (broken underground wires on private property), then to find the responsible party for repairs of bulbs, glass covers or wiring (i.e. Route 440 is not responsible and the Peninsula/MOTBY is privately maintained, except the main gate and the new firehouse locations). I learned, in other words, it would take a paragraph to state where a certain street pole is located.
The next day, I saw 99 percent of the poles marked for repair with caution tape wrapped around them. Within a week, approximately 100 poles and spotlights were repaired, with approximately 30 still needing some kind of underground problem to be resolved.
I would also like to thank Rich for contacting the right department one very, very cold night when I came upon a underground wiring hot spot billowing steam from an underground PSE&G vault at 26th Street and Broadway, which could have a problematic result. The response was within 30 minutes.
Bob, I’m proud to be part of emergency management knowing you’re there and your always welcome to our community.
I would like to take this time to thank Public Works Director Gary S. Chmielewski for always being a phone call away and Police Chief Bob Kubert and deputy chiefs Sciani, Tocci and Niekrasz for always being supportive, as well as Fire Chief Greg Rogers and deputy chiefs Joe Hurley and Bob Ballance for the Office of Emergency Management in Bayonne. And special thanks to Mayor Mark Smith for continuing the long tradition of security for our community and making Bayonne’s safety priority one!
TONY CAMPANO
Auxiliary Police Bayonne