Dear Editor:
Last Sunday during the Puerto Rican parade along Jersey Avenue the politicians who normally drive everywhere were walking and “discovered” the terrible patching job PSE&G was doing in its gas line installation project. Mayor Fulop held a news conference the next day and denounced the utility for this and said they would never get away with it in Short Hills or Chatham, so very true. However, PSE&G began this particular project in May and it was well underway before any notice was taken by the city. In January the City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance requiring contractors to properly resurface the roadway upon completion of work. The city had the tool to confront PSE&G months ago and did nothing.
Last November I wrote concerning PSE&G and the shoddy work they were doing along Newark Avenue which appeared in this column. I spoke out about the manner in which the utility company was installing new street lights and in the process using a darker color of cement than was just done. The utilities contractor left a mess with white, chalky residue all over the newly done sidewalks. I also spoke of the “gang tagging” along these sidewalks. None of this was addressed by the city.
I respectfully suggest to our elected officials they walk every street in the city and see what the citizens do on a daily basis.
Charles Balcer