| Scranton neighborhood leaders were
happy to hear the city is speeding up maintenance on faulty fire hydrants, but they aren't
quite ready to nominate Mayor Jim Connors as Man of the Year for doing it. John
Giumento, president of the 13th Ward Neighborhood Association, said on Sunday the mayor
deserves scolding because he waited so long before acting.
Nobody knows how long they didnt work, Mr. Giumento said. Maybe its time to get some
new leadership in this town. Apparently his supervisors werent doing their jobs.
They should never have been in the position theyre in where they have to get a
contractor to fix them, Hill Neighborhood Association President Bob Neveroski said.
After days of revelations about the state of almost 20 percent of the citys hydrants,
Mr. Connors on Friday changed his mind and sided with the City Council in declaring an
emergency so the city can hire contractors to fix the hydrants sooner. He had previously
balked at declaring the emergency.
On Friday, he said work could begin as early as today to replace about 80 hydrants.
Another 60 hydrants are listed as needing repairs, which a city hydrant inspector will
work on, Mr. Connors said.
Thats out of 239 problem hydrants on a list developed last May by the
Pennsylvania-American Water Co. Many of the others have apparently been fixed, fire
department officials said. Fire department officials have blamed each other and a former
hydrant inspector for allowing the work to go undone.
Mr. Connors said he expects to meet this morning with five or six contractors who can
replace hydrants. He hopes to have them working by Tuesday or Wednesday. The work will
likely focus first on North Washington Avenue and West Park Street where there seem to be
clusters of bad hydrants, Deputy Fire Chief Terry Osborne said.
After that, crews will fan out all over the city, he said. Were hoping to have enough
crews that all the sections are done at the same time, Deputy Chief Osborne said.
Bob Sheridan, the president of the Dutch Hollow Neighborhood Association, said past
delays leave him with doubts about the upcoming work.
When I see them doing it, Ill know its being done, Mr. Sheridan said. |
