Biggest Whopper Of The Year

The heat addled someone’s brain. In today’s Advocate, a quote by DPW director Hal Alvord on the transfer station on Smith street:

“It’s a zoo. We still allow commercial trash haulers to come in until noon and after noon, it’s residents only,” he said, though some residents come earlier. With only one bay for dumping, traffic backs up. “It’s not unusual to have 1,000 vehicles on Crescent Street,” he said. 

Well I challenge Mr. Alvord to defend that statement, because if there were anything close to even a hundred cars on Crescent street, then maybe we wouldn’t see so much vandalism under the highway and at the Pine Island Cemetery. Strangely, the traffic report for the area never mentions the equivalent of the entire Webster parking lot using Crescent street. But perhaps maybe Mr. Alvord meant 1000 vehicles over a week, a day some other time period. In any case, this makes my short list of whopper of the year.

Frequent users of the transfer station have reported that at most there’s only ever been 1 to 2 cars backed up. Typically the day after a holiday is busy, but that it is rare for any back up to occur. I’m sure someone on the Common Council will ask for the the traffic report that this is based on.

source: Advocate, Official: City to save on new garbage pact, By Alexandra Fenwick, 06/10/2008

  • Anonymous

    Turf girl it shows you never go to the smith street dump with a truck it is always backed up always. If your not sure of something it is almost beter to say nothing. Please let them fix this problem.

  • Anonymous

    I drive past that dump every morning and have NEVER seen 1000 vehicles there! Maybe Hal needs new glases.

  • turfgrrl

    Anonymous: No its not. Like anything there may be peak times that it has been, but a spot check of people who use it far more regularly than I do, revealed otherwise. But anecdotal experiences only get you so far. That’s what traffic studies are for.

  • Anonymous

    if lasts weeks meeting was shown on cable last week one would realize it was the blind leading the blind.Hal talked about the scales not working all the time at cresent st. Hal said he has traffic studies yet unable to produce any to the board.But Bondi and Al seemed to know more than Krummel,Lindstrom,Conroy ect and when it came to the simple questions on the plan,they were simple.Not once was traffic or safety even considered.One of the other councilors you could tell had probably never been to the transfer station.

    The same meeting Hal was asked about traffic calming and what was being done to address it he simply said point blank nothing he has no engineers to work on it.This was the same meeting the committe took what I thought what was thousands of dollars from traffic calming funds and transfered them.So the calming issue was solved take the money away for it and have no work in that area.

    #1 you pay my taxes and let them fix your problem,I’ll take my chances and let someone else step in and do it,someone who may know a little more about this subject than what we have now working on it.

    Hal did say one of the other bids, there was only three taken on this contract he was proud to tell the committee instead of talking about the proposal he threw him out of his office.I woud say when talking a ten year contract i would listen first and then throw them out for whatevers its worth.

    #1 I’m sure if you made the meeting you would have something more to say than to leave it in the hands of others.That is why we are in the situation we are in now A poorly run city.

    I do give credit to Doug,Linda,Bill and Conroy what little they knew on the subject they realized quick this was a deal made behind closed doors I just wonder how Bondi knew so much and no one else had a clue.

  • HUH!

    Wait a minute, is he saying that he has seen a backup of a 1000 vehicles? If they all were only 20 feet long that would be a 4 miles backup. If he only means a 1000 vehicles daily, it would be a snap to find this info electronically. Does he include in that number the vehicles that are not even going to the dump?

    Yesterday I saw 2,000,000 vehicles backed up at Dunken Donuts on Main Street, Honest.

  • Anonymous

    Turfgrll any way of you simply posting the minutes of that last DPW meeting?

    After Bondi pulled a Nicky Kydes in the meeting and had to shouted down to maintain the meeting I think Kummel and Geake should get lion tamers awards for controlling a meeting.These two guys had to use old fashion parenting on these two councilors to control their meetings.We need some facts some accountability of what transpired in that last meeting.Like I said Doug Bill Linda had a handle on things to a point but this was a very complex package no it was a contract that has been written simply waiting to be signed on Hal’s word.Hal acted like if you don’t sign this Daddy Dick will be very displeased.

    Does anyone really know whats going on yet? Traffic,contracts,environmental impacts?

    Take over a dirty site the city will be rsponsible to clean it up on meadow st and that could cost millions .Have the site checked first have that whole parcel checked it along village creek more importanat to shellfish that the Norwalk river.

    As it is our Housing authority has been using the Meadow st site to drop of material intstead of our own city station why is that?

    Hal was asked about trucks leaving the site he said on the average 1 for constuction material a day , some figures show if the city gets what they want it will be 40 trailors a day 5 an hour.Stamford was said to have already signed up? To what there is no contract yet is there?

    something stinks!

  • anonymous

    Bill Krummel fell asleep during the last meeting.

  • COUNCIL TV SPECIAL EVENT

    #6 STATED “After Bondi pulled a Nicky Kydes in the meeting and had to shouted down to maintain the meeting”

    I think it is time for Ole Freddy to be put out to pasture. He is headed for a heart attack trying to keep the “Ole Boy” type of system alive. but it is rapidly starting to die a slow death. The people now are much smarter in following what goes on in politics than they were when Fred got involved.

    Hey even “Big Brown” went from being a winner to a last place loser.

    Bet he gets put out to pasture.

  • Anonymous

    Its disgusting to think that type of behavior exists in city hall.Its one thing to argue and disagree its normal. But to think you can yell and slam your hands on the table and put words in other peoples mouths and talk trash for the mayor is what most of the taxpayers want to see?

    I never saw anywhere detailing the traffic pattern change the cresent st transfer ststion will be subjected to, the drive out to the highway will be closed soon to construction.

    Meadow st going from 500 tons of trash a day to 1200 tons yet the real deal is they only do as little as 5 out of 250 tons of construction debris for a waste stream each day now.

    your talking almost 40 dump trailors a day holding over 70,000 lbs of waste leaving anyone think how many trucks have to come into the transfer station for that type of waste stream? Thats 5 an hour going out if you think about it and not once has this formula been given and I doubt if anyone at the meeting was thinking about this none of them are waste experts are they so I don’t blame them.Only if they make a quick decision will the taxpayers and residents have a reason not to want them back for another term, anyone running for mayor should think clearly about this transfer station and the contract do your job not do another favor for Dick.

    The sign that said waste management means nothing or does it whats the real deal who owns the existing transfer station?

    What traffic study what has made Lajoes become compliant with parking on Meadow st?

    What has councilwoman Bolden actually been talking about to the public housing residents about the quality of life with a bailor accross the street? Does this machine make noise? Is there any precautions or thoughts on this for those poor bastards who life accross the st from it? I doubt it but we will see tonight what her concerns are.

    Its odd how news papers send out reporters the day before the story needs to be done and not do a follow up, its a shame we didn’t read all of this a week ago when it first came up isn’t it.

    Rowyaton will feel the impact I trust Conroy will convey that to his people no one will come out of this uneffected.They may not get trucks but the car traffic going around the construction is going to be a nightmare so be forewarned.But then again meadow st is a destination isn’t it? Pickups and rack trucks spilling debris all over Rowyaton coming from Stamford can happen can’t it?

    Pickups and cars with trailers going thru Rowyaton is possible isn’t it?

    This is where its going to become interesting, the truth on this deal would be nice lest see what surfices tonight.

  • Anonymous

    #5 – They were probably all in line (and On the Move!) to get donut holes, the new Official! food item of Norwalk.

  • Anonymous

    He also said there was only one bay at Crescent St. There are three, but the way it is managed, they don’t all get used. I missed the 1000 vehicle comment, but I’m sure he didn’t mean all at once. He has been working on this for a long time, but still does not have any traffic study numbers. That is probably a more significant whopper. He also said 7 Towns are part of this deal and then later said their trucks would not be coming to Meadow St. Putting together a new deal to handle our garbage is certainly a tough job, but he makes it all sound “too good to be true” Garbage disposal will someday pay for itself? There are no environmental problems at Meadow St ? There will be no traffic problems on Meadow St ? Usually, when something sounds too good to be true, it is. Lets see how he does at the Council hearing next week.

  • Anonymous

    Goes without saying if there has been a traffic study where is it?

  • Anonymous

    You can bet that if there is a traffic study, one of the butt buddies of the machine will get the job done. Of course the job will be done on us the taxpayers, while the chosen few will still be “on the Move” into our pockets!

    I’m not surprised that Hal & Bondi were doing the mayor’s bidding. No surprise either that Bondi “pulled a Nicky Kydes in the meeting and had to shouted down to maintain the meeting.”

  • Anonymous

    Maybe Hal is filling up Freds tank at the pumps be more than what the councilors make a month.