Potholes are back, but the city is already taking care of business
Now that warm weather has returned, the city’s street repair program is back on the road this year. The city will also start up an alley repair program that will focus first along Jos. Campau.
By Charles Sercombe
They’re back, and growing.
Even though we had a mild winter, it still took a toll on the city’s roads. Potholes are now popping up throughout the city.
But the city is on top of it, so there is no need to call out the all-volunteer Hamtramck Guerilla Pothole Repair Crew – at least not yet.
Hamtramck is not alone in experiencing a pothole problem. According to a recent Detroit Free Press story, the Michigan pothole hotline (888-296-4546) has been swamped with calls.
A work crew began this week to cold patch the worst of the streets.
Not only are potholes back, the city’s road repair plan for this year has already begun.
The center portion of Holmes and Dorothy will be replaced.
Also coming down the pike will be the resurfacing of Charest, between Holbrook and Evaline; Lehman from Conant to Jos. Campau; and Lumpkin from Caniff to Commor.
City Manager Katrina Powell is meeting with the city’s engineering consultants to get an update on all of the street and alley improvement projects coming soon.
“We will be very busy this summer with approximately three to five streets being improved and our long anticipated alley reconstruction program starting in our business districts of Jos. Campau and Conant,” Powell said.
“In addition, we will continue with our road striping program by painting additional crosswalks and stop bars placed along major residential collector streets.”
This is an awkward moment for the city administration though. The director of Public Works, Mark Ragsdale, is leaving for a new job, and Powell’s employment contract will expire on June 30.
At this point it’s unclear if the state will step in and extend her contract. The city is still under state financial supervision.
6 Responses to Potholes are back, but the city is already taking care of business
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guest
April 21, 2017 at 8:00 pm
The drain they’ve just replaced in Holmes St. is already clogged. Shoddy job.
Uncle Cooter
April 23, 2017 at 2:50 am
Yes, Mr. Ragsdale is leaving for a new job.
Katrina Powell lobbied the Transition Advisory Board for a raise to $125,000 per annum in salary for Mark Ragsdale – but the Board nixed it.
The City of Hamtramck is losing department heads due to its refusal to pay a competitive wage. Finance chief Bhama Cairns and others are leaving or have already left the City of Hamtramck.
Guest
April 23, 2017 at 2:57 pm
Make these positions by elections. With current salaries a lot of people will be interested.
guest
April 27, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Dear City’s Manager;
Rats are running rampant in the city, day and night.
How are you addressing this problem?
Uncle Cooter
April 28, 2017 at 6:33 pm
“At this point it nis unclear if the state will come in and extend her contract. The city is stilll under state financial supervision.”
At one of the recent Transition Advisory Borad meetings, Mark Stema said that “There is nothing much we can do” if the City Council had decided not to renew Katrina Poowell’s contract as the city manager.
This begs the question as under what legal authority may the TAB Board “step in” to overrule a decision of City Council to decline to offer Powell a contarct extension. One day Stema says they can’t overturn to City Council resolution to toss Powell out of office – next day they have that power. Has the City Attorney,independent counsel, or Attorney General issued an opinion as this matter?
Does anyone know what they are doing n City Hall?
Jolanta
April 29, 2017 at 3:16 pm
@Guest:
There are not only potholes – there ARE rats that I can see run between houses and in alleys. I have never seen this problem before this spring!
The City of Hamtramck is shoddily run by Katrina Powell and her minions!
City Council needs to enforce their dumping of Powell despite the TAB Boards wishes.