At a glance
The Public Works Board met June 22 to finalize the 2026 sidewalk work list. The board chose 11 parcels for repair, targeting municipal buildings and ADA-compliant connections between State and Union. The list includes alternates in case bids come in under budget. The board also closed the credit application period, approving all 12 submissions, and reviewed the 2026 assessment file before sending it to the county by July 1. A resident raised concerns about contractor oversight and the quality of past work.
Roll call and minutes approval deferred
Gary called the meeting to order. A quorum was present. Gary deferred review of earlier meeting minutes to coordinate with Linda before presenting changes.
Key points
- Attendees: Gary (chair), Tyler Kritzman (Commissioner of Public Works), George Kroenert (member), Tiffany Martin (ADA coordinator and mayoral aide)
- Gary identified clarifications needed for the first two meetings' minutes, will review with Linda before presenting to the board
- Minutes approval postponed to a future meeting
2026 sidewalk work list finalized: 11 parcels, two alternates
Tyler presented the final list of sidewalk parcels for 2026 work, chosen after walkthroughs with staff. The list prioritizes ADA connections and ties to municipal buildings.
Key points
- 11 parcels selected for primary work: North Fifth between Columbia and Warren (2 parcels, west side), North Fifth between Columbia and Long (1 parcel, east side, across from library), South Third between Warren and Union (2 parcels, ties to Boys and Girls Club), both sides of Fifth between State and Columbia (4 parcels), North Sixth between State and Prospect (2 parcels, west side)
- Two alternates added: South Fifth between Warren and Union, South Third between Union and Partition (both west sides)
- Selections based on tying in municipal buildings, coordinating with prior ADA curb work, and staying within 2026 revenue ($315,000 total)
- Gary motioned to approve the list and begin preparing the bid package; board approved unanimously
- Tyler clarified this will be a full public bid, not an RFP, due to the project value
- Gary will submit the map to Common Council for budget approval
- the project manager will prepare a full public bid package, using last year's template as a base
- Bid will be issued once Common Council approves the expenditure
All 12 sidewalk credit applications approved
Tyler reported that all 12 property owners who applied for sidewalk improvement credits this year were approved. Letters are being printed and signed this week.
Key points
- 12 credit applications submitted, all approved
- No denials, all applicants submitted correct documentation
- Clerk is printing letters, will be signed and mailed this week
Announcement of work list deferred until council approval
Gary asked whether to announce the chosen sidewalk segments publicly now or wait. Tyler recommended waiting until Common Council approves the budget expenditure.
Key points
- Gary suggested a public announcement naming the 11 parcels and alternates
- Tyler said to wait for council approval for political reasons
- Even though the sidewalk improvement district exists and funds are set aside, the specific expenditure requires council approval
Veterans and firefighters exemption question pending legal review
Gary raised the question of whether veterans or firefighters who own multiple properties receive the sidewalk assessment exemption on all properties or only their primary residence. The question has been sent to the city attorney.
Key points
- Gary asked the Common Council president to refer the question to the city attorney
- No response yet, law may need clarification or modification
- Tyler reported that the county's veterans list shows only two instances where a veteran owns both a residential property (class 200) and a vacant lot (class 300), plus a few others with commercial or multifamily properties (class 400)
- Total revenue impact is small, described as pennies
- Tyler will verify whether firefighters are treated the same way
- Gary's view: the exemption should apply to the primary residence only, not to additional properties
The city attorney has not yet ruled on whether veterans or firefighters who own multiple properties receive the exemption on all properties or only their primary residence. The board deferred action until that opinion is received.
2026 assessment file ready for county submission by July 1
Ryan (the project manager) reported that the 2026 sidewalk assessment file is complete and ready for county submission. The total assessment is $315,000, up from $308,000 last year.
Key points
- Total assessment: $315,000, up from around $308,000 in 2025
- Increase due to new parcels created by Planning Board approvals, properties coming off credit, and new credit approvals
- Annual maintenance fee accounts for $229,000 of the total
- File includes a summary sheet listing all properties, credits, exemptions, and revenue breakdown
- Ryan contacted the county to confirm formatting, will send a test file of 100 parcels this week
- Board given until Wednesday, June 25 to review the file before submission
- Ryan will provide a printed copy to Gary as requested
The 2026 sidewalk assessment file must be submitted to the county by July 1. The board has until Wednesday, June 25 to review and approve it.
Public comment: contractor oversight and quality concerns
A resident questioned the quality of Vosburgh's 2025 sidewalk work, cited cracking at Sixth and State and Sixth and Columbia, and asked who will oversee contractors for the 2026 work. Gary said the project manager and the team are accountable, but the project manager does not stand on site daily.
Key points
- Resident said Vosburgh's 2025 work is cracking at Sixth and State, Sixth and Row Valley, and Columbia and Sixth, asked the board if they are happy with the work
- Gary said he has not heard of problems; resident urged the board not to award future work to Vosburgh
- Resident cited other examples of poor work: Colarusso's Ferry Street Bridge sidewalks (poured in winter, now cracked), DRI stair work at top of Second Street (large crack), DRI stonework at Front and Warren (had to be redone)
- Resident asked who will oversee 2026 contractors to prevent similar quality failures
- Gary said the board has the right people in place: Tyler (commissioner), Tiffany (ADA coordinator), and the project manager as project manager
- Gary said having a project manager is making all the difference and the team is engaged and accountable
- Resident asked if the project manager or a city employee will be on site daily; Gary said that is not standard practice
- Resident expressed surprise that no one will be watching the work daily
The board's position is that the project manager, as project manager, oversees the work but does not station someone on site daily. Gary said this is standard practice. The resident suggested Ithaca hired a dedicated sidewalk employee and argued that might be cheaper and provide more accountability over the long run.
Public comment: parcel-by-parcel approach questioned
The same resident questioned the board's decision to repair parcels rather than entire blocks, and asked how long the full citywide effort will take. Tyler said the $300,000 annual budget requires prioritizing the worst sidewalks and ADA compliance, not replacing every sidewalk at once.
Key points
- Resident asked if the board will repair only the worst parcels on a block, leaving adjacent sections for later, or do entire blocks at once
- Tyler said the board will work parcel by parcel, not ripping up ADA-compliant sidewalk just to make a block uniform
- With $300,000 annual revenue, the board must justify every decision and prioritize municipal building connections and ADA compliance
- Tyler said once the entire city has been addressed, the board could revisit blocks for uniformity, but that is a wish item, not current reality
- Resident asked how many years the work will take; Tyler said it is an ongoing process, sidewalks that are compliant today may not be in 5 or 10 years
- Resident noted that oversight is by a contractor (the project manager), not a city employee, and suggested Ithaca's model of hiring a dedicated sidewalk employee might be cheaper and more accountable long-term
- Gary said the current approach seems best at this point
Adjournment
The board adjourned after public comment concluded.
Key points
- Motion to adjourn, seconded, approved unanimously
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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