At a glance
The Common Council Safety Committee met on May 4, 2026, with Acting Chair Dan presiding in Chair Andrew's absence. The Hudson Fire Department reported 29 calls in April, including fires and hazardous situations, and confirmed the new rescue engine truck is in production with expected delivery in mid-August. Hudson Police reported 50 arrests, zero pedestrian accidents, zero overdoses, and 922 total incidents for April, plus $144,000 in parking revenue, up 23% year over year. The committee discussed ongoing concerns about truck route enforcement, noise complaints from the Pocketbook Factory mechanicals, parking permit compliance, ebike usage in parks, and a potential citywide no-turn-on-red rule. No votes were taken, this was an informal committee meeting.
Fire Department Report and New Equipment Updates
The fire department reported 29 calls in April (4 fires, 5 hazardous situations, 17 non-emergencies) and gave updates on the new fire rescue boat and the rescue engine truck currently in production in Florida.
Key points
- April had 29 total calls, including three brush fires, one chimney fire, and incidents like a burn barrel with construction waste on Columbia Street
- Year-to-date total is 125 calls for the quarter, up 19 calls from last year at this time
- The new fire rescue boat is at the firehouse finishing winter work and equipment mounting, with plans for a county demonstration Wednesday night
- New rescue engine truck is in production in Florida, with cab sitting in sunny conditions, expected to arrive at Hamburg dealer mid-July
- The rescue engine is designed specifically for Hudson's alleys with a shorter wheelbase, has rescue tools, and will serve as the fast truck for mutual aid
- Expected in-service date for the new engine is first or second week of September if all goes as planned
Fire Hydrant Out of Service Question
A member of the public asked about a fire hydrant across from the depot that has been tagged out of service for over a year, questioning whether the fire department would prefer it be in service. The chair declined to repeat previous answers.
Key points
- Fire hydrant directly across from the depot loss has been tagged out of service for over a year
- Question was raised about whether the fire department would prefer that hydrant be in service
- Chair stated the question had been asked and answered multiple times in previous meetings and emails
- Chair declined to have the fire department repeat the answer, citing it had been addressed multiple times
The chair clarified that public comment and answers from departments are at the discretion of the meeting chair, and questions that have been addressed multiple times in previous meetings are not continually re-addressed.
Police Department Report, Arrests and Incidents
Acting Chief reported April police statistics including 50 arrests with 59 charges, 11 emotionally disturbed person calls, zero overdoses, and 922 total incidents for the month.
Key points
- Zero defensive action reports filed in April
- 50 arrests in April with 59 related charges
- 11 emotionally disturbed person calls, zero overdoses or expected drug use calls, no Narcan administered
- Hudson Police Department responded to 922 incidents in April
- The shelter is now closed
Speaker names were not labeled in this auto-caption transcript. Acting Chief appears to be reporting in Chief Franklin's absence.
Parking Revenue and Enforcement
Police reported parking statistics showing 3,570 tickets issued in April with revenue up 23% year over year. Discussion included concerns about park mobile app issues causing incorrect zone registrations.
Key points
- 3,570 parking tickets were issued in April
- 2,860 tickets were paid in April totaling $63,675
- April 2025 parking revenue was $111,000, compared to $144,000 this year, showing a 23% increase
- Committee member raised concern about park mobile app not registering correct parking zones, causing people to get tickets moments after paying
- Police acknowledged this is a known issue they are working on, considering delaying enforcement time to address the problem
- Issue involves confusion between different zones on the app versus the regular QR code system
Pedestrian Safety and Speed Enforcement
Police reported zero pedestrian accidents in April and zero on-roadway accidents involving pedestrians. Discussion covered speed radar locations, enforcement levels, and concerns about speeding on Warren Street.
Key points
- Zero pedestrian accidents for April and zero on-roadway accidents involving pedestrians
- DPW is doing curb work which is contributing to safety improvements
- Speed radars are located on Harry Howard Avenue and Glenwood (the radars display speed but do not issue tickets)
- Police issued approximately 200 to 250 speeding tickets in the first quarter of the year
- Quarterly traffic reports with detailed location data are available on the city website going back several years
- Citywide speed limit is 25 mph, reduced from a previous limit in 2025
- Most speeding in Hudson does not reach extreme levels like 100 mph due to the city layout, though 30 mph feels fast in a dense urban area
- Bike patrol increases enforcement presence on Warren Street as weather warms up
A Warren Street resident expressed concern about speeding enforcement on Warren Street specifically and reported multiple near-miss incidents involving pedestrians, particularly at Seventh and Park.
Crosswalk Safety and Pedestrian Behavior
Discussion of pedestrian safety included making crosswalk signage more visible, addressing drivers not yielding to pedestrians, and the need for pedestrian education alongside enforcement.
Key points
- Mayor has prioritized safer crosswalks and more visible signage for pedestrians
- New people driving in the city sometimes drive the wrong way on one-way streets
- Some drivers do not abide by pedestrians in crosswalk rules
- Making signage more visible and stronger crosswalks can help make the city more drivable and safer
- Police do not collect data on near-miss or almost-accidents, only actual incidents
- Committee member noted confusion when drivers with the right of way wave pedestrians through, creating potentially dangerous situations
Truck Route Enforcement and DOT Signage
Discussion of truck route enforcement revealed that the city is working with DOT on signage to properly restrict through-truck traffic, but enforcement is limited until proper signs are in place.
Key points
- Officers are trained to enforce truck routes and use discretion on whether to ticket or warn
- Constituent concerns include increased trucks off route getting stuck, and trucks making wrong turns at Seventh and the square or on State Street instead of Columbia
- Over a year ago the committee identified that the city only needs to provide through-truck access from Route 9 to Route 9, to Route 23, and to Route 66 on the eastern end
- The city does not have to provide through-truck access beyond the warehouse on the western end of town
- Signage agreement from DOT is needed before HPD can fully enforce the true truck route, which does not include Columbia Street
- A constituent observed a semi truck going the wrong way on Fifth Street (a one-way street) two days before the meeting, which is a clear traffic violation separate from truck route issues
- Once DOT approves signage, police will have clear rules to enforce regarding which roads trucks can use
Council members Margaret and Jason are in touch with the New York State Department of Transportation to finalize signage that will enable enforcement of Hudson's true truck route restrictions.
Pocketbook Factory Noise Complaints
The committee discussed ongoing noise complaints from Pocketbook Factory neighbors concerning mechanical equipment hum, not event noise. The factory appears to be in compliance with decibel thresholds, but the continuous nature of mechanical noise is a distinct concern.
Key points
- Residents are not complaining about loud music or event noise, but about continuous mechanical equipment hum
- Police have decibel meters but there are questions about their accuracy, some readings seem too low
- Hudson code has a separate section for unreasonable noise that does not require decibel measurement
- Officers use discretion on noise violations, repeated violations after warnings can result in tickets
- The specific concern is machinery from the Pocketbook Factory creating continuous noise, not loud music
- Pocketbook Factory purchased 40 parking permits for 2025 and has a signed lease with the city that is being amended
- The factory is currently in compliance with parking requirements per the planning board and certificate of occupancy
- Nighttime sound threshold in that area is 45 decibels, measurements indicate the mechanicals fall below that threshold
- The factory has implemented sound mitigation strategies for events including window screens and a sound engineer monitoring outside the venue
- The issue now falls to code enforcement to determine if mechanical noise is exceeding allowable levels
A member of the public noted the planning board portal references a sound mitigation plan as part of the final project approval. The plan was not readily found published on the planning board site. Council member Margaret offered to try to track down this document.
Once the planning board approves a project and a certificate of occupancy is issued, code enforcement is responsible for ensuring ongoing compliance with approved requirements. The factory received its COO, meaning it met all requirements at that time.
DPW Signage and Curb Painting Updates
DPW is on schedule to paint yellow curbs at corners. Handicap signage and painting at Pocketbook Factory is the responsibility of the property owner, not the city. New signage and repainting expected by end of week.
Key points
- DPW is responsible for yellow paint on corners, not handicap spaces
- Handicap signage and painting is Pocketbook Factory's responsibility
- Pocketbook had to reorder the handicap sign for the Prospect Street side because the wrong sign was initially provided
- New sign expected to arrive Thursday with repainting of handicap spots to be done by end of the week
- DPW has been painting curbs and the work is helping with safety and visibility
Security Camera System Expansion
Brief update that the security camera system installation is ongoing but taking longer than expected. Six cameras are currently installed with a target of 10 total.
Key points
- Security camera installation is taking a while but work is ongoing
- Six cameras are currently installed
- The target is 10 cameras citywide
No Turn on Red Proposal Discussion
The committee discussed a potential citywide no-turn-on-red rule. A council member tested it voluntarily for several weeks and found minimal impact on travel time. The committee can make a recommendation to full council, which could then direct the legal committee to draft legislation.
Key points
- The mayor sent an email about the no-turn-on-red proposal, details not fully clarified in this meeting
- Most dangerous intersections already have no-turn-on-red signage (like Fourth and State)
- One council member tested no-turn-on-red voluntarily for 3 to 4 weeks and found it made very little difference to daily life
- Committee discussed whether there have been accidents involving vehicles making legal right turns on red and pedestrians, police reported zero pedestrian accidents on roadways this year
- Council member initially skeptical noted Hudson has very short blocks with frequent stop signs and red lights, making turns on red convenient but perhaps not essential
- The safety committee can make a recommendation to full council, which would discuss it and potentially send to legal committee to draft a local law
- One committee member expressed concern that without data on accidents caused by right turns on red, a blanket rule may not be necessary
If the safety committee recommends the no-turn-on-red rule, it would go to full council for discussion. If council approves, the legal committee would draft the necessary local law, similar to the process used to reduce the citywide speed limit to 25 mph.
Ebike Enforcement and Park Usage
Discussion of ebike enforcement, including concerns about ebikes being ridden in parks and on ramps. Police advised residents to call if they see ebikes in parks. The legal committee is working on updating code to cover ebikes and scooters.
Key points
- Ebike enforcement was a significant concern last summer, police did outreach programs and details
- Ebike activity has not been a major concern recently but is expected to increase as weather warms
- Some ebike riders are reckless, officers are advised to watch for this
- Reports of ebikes using ramps in parks, residents should call police if they observe this
- There may be some bicycle signage in parks but specific ebike signage is unclear
- The legal committee is reviewing and updating code to address ebikes and scooters, expected in the next couple of months
- Much of the scooter and ebike use involves middle school and high school students
The legal committee is working on updating city code to specifically address ebikes and scooters, providing the police department with clearer enforcement guidelines. This work is expected to be completed in the next couple of months.
Safety Campaign and Education Proposals
Committee discussed the value of a public safety awareness and education campaign as an alternative or supplement to enforcement, including involving young community organizers and addressing pedestrian behavior.
Key points
- Committee member suggested reviewing camera footage to examine pedestrian behavior, including crossing against lights and using phones while crossing
- While drivers must always yield to pedestrians, increased pedestrian self-awareness at intersections would improve safety
- Suggestion to add pedestrian safety information to the city website for tourists and include infographics in tourist information materials
- Much of what the committee discussed could be accomplished through awareness, education, and safety campaigns rather than just writing tickets
- Proposal to invite young community organizers to participate in a safety campaign, particularly relevant since much of the ebike and scooter use involves middle and high school students
- Having young organizers involved could make messaging more effective for student populations
Incident Volume and Department Capacity
Police clarified that the 922 incidents in April represent a high call volume that limits capacity for proactive enforcement. As weather warms, incident numbers will increase further.
Key points
- 922 incidents in April represents roughly 30 incidents per day
- High incident volume explains why certain enforcement priorities may not receive as much attention as desired
- Police handle many priority calls including domestics, not just parking enforcement
- 50 arrests in April, that number typically increases as weather gets warmer and more people are outside
- Some shifts run with only two officers responding call to call to call
- Incident volume will increase in coming months as weather improves and more people visit Hudson
- Department does have repeat offenders for various issues
- Security cameras are recorded and footage can be reviewed after the fact if an incident is reported
If residents or committee members want more detailed data than what is presented in standard reports, they can request it and police will provide monthly information. Quarterly traffic reports with detailed location data are already available on the city website.
About this page
FUTURE HUDSON is an experiment in civic engagement: every public meeting of the City of Hudson since January 2026, transcribed and made readable, so any resident can follow what the city is deciding without attending every meeting. This page covers one meeting; see the full archive.
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