Hudson Public Works Board weighs sidewalk work after $1 million CDBG application stalls

Chair Gary Pernag opened the Hudson City Public Works Board meeting and led a discussion about the district’s sidewalk-improvement program after the city decided not to move forward with a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application that sought up to $1 million.

Ryan Loc, who presented a condition-assessment tool the board will use to prioritize sidewalks, curbs and intersections, told the board the state had asked the city for more detail about its financial commitment. Loc said the grant itself did not require a formal cash match, but the state wanted clarity about how the city planned to fund the full scope of proposed work.

Board members said the city currently has about $300,000 in SID (special improvement district) funds remaining from the initial investment and ongoing assessments, but cautioned that those receipts are not all on hand immediately and may not be fully available until later in the year. Gary Pernag noted last year’s contracted work totaled roughly $240,000 and primarily focused on curb ramps.

The board also reviewed two formal challenges to SID assessments. Loc said one property owner had omitted the total cost on an application, which changed the tax calculation; staff will add an additional year’s credit to correct that. The other challenge came from a property without a sidewalk; staff cited the ordinance requiring a $50 assessment in that situation and will send written clarification to the owner.

Justin, a resident who addressed the board during public comment, said he was disappointed the grant opportunity stalled and urged the board to coordinate with the mayor’s office and new city council before preparing future applications. ``It is very, very disheartening that this grant opportunity has fallen by the wayside,'' Justin said, noting the consultant/grant-writer fee for the prior application was about $12,000 and that staged grant requests might be more successful than a single large submission.

Board members discussed prioritizing smaller, higher-traffic sidewalk and curb-ramp projects — for example, completing remaining curb ramps near municipal buildings and filling targeted gaps — rather than committing a large portion of reserves to one big contract. Members also noted some curb ramps were deferred because of sewer projects or utility conflicts.

Several members raised the Justice Department’s earlier recommendations, saying the list helped organize the board’s work but that the board has not received sign-off or follow-up from the Department in the last two years. Staff and residents had submitted photos and records previously, but communications appear to have slowed with the change in federal administration.

The meeting surfaced a recurring legal question about ownership and liability for sidewalks. Some board members said the city owns sidewalks and the SID overlays property to permit assessment; others flagged ambiguity in charter language and recommended that city legal staff review and clarify who bears maintenance responsibility and liability. Property owner Matt McGee said he had confirmed that, for his parcel, portions of the sidewalk belong to the city and said he is puzzled that the city charges a fee while the city retains ownership.

The board recorded a motion to enter the December minutes into the record and later moved to adjourn.