Hot water for Central Hudson

Council gives earful over gas main project

By Alberto Gilman
Posted 7/12/22

Newburgh City Council members expressed frustration with Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp. who appeared at the city work session Thursday, July 7 to provide an update on their gas main …

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Hot water for Central Hudson

Council gives earful over gas main project

Posted

Newburgh City Council members expressed frustration with Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corp. who appeared at the city work session Thursday, July 7 to provide an update on their gas main replacement project here in the city.

Joe Jenkins, Associate Director of Media Relations at Central Hudson Gas and Electric, presented a brief overview to city council on the gas main replacement project and the reason for these projects.

“This was something that was put into place as a state order from the Department of Public Service in 2016 as an accelerated program to replace sections of gas main throughout our service area that were reaching the end of their useful life,” said Jenkins. “We have completed 15 miles or more each year as a part of this. It has improved the reliability, the resiliency and most importantly, the safety of the gas system.”

Central Hudson serves the city as their main gas and electric provider. On the western side of the Hudson River, the company’s service area goes south to the Town of Highlands and north to the Towns of Coeymans, Westerlo and Rensselaerville in Albany County. On the eastern side, Central Hudson’s coverage goes south to Carmel and Philipstown in Putnam County and north to Gallatin and Ancram in Columbia County. A Central Hudson website map, cenhud.com/en/about-us/our-service-territory/, provides a breakdown of the coverage area and the services provided for those areas.

According to Jenkins, Central Hudson would receive about 120 leak calls per year but now with these new main replacements, calls have dropped to about 30 to 40 calls per year. Jenkins stated that these line replacement projects should be completed by 2029.

“We’ve worked very hard to work with our communities including here in Newburgh to coordinate these projects with paving schedules to make sure that we’re not ripping up roads that have been freshly paved,” said Jenkins.

Council members provided follow up comments to the Central Hudson presentation on their project, mainly focusing on the street paving and line replacement work that has not met their standards.

“Why just pave like half the street? Half the street is paved, the other half isn’t and it’s just a odd, odd look,” said Councilman Anthony Grice. “As we’re looking to improve our city, that lopsided look just, is lopsided.”

Councilman Omari Shakur raised concerns about not seeing city residents employed by Central Hudson and the increase in their billing. “I have to agree with my other city council members, this work has been bad in our city, as far as our streets are concerned,” Shakur said. “Most of the people I see working here even though most of your customers are from the City of Newburgh, I don’t see nobody from the City of Newburgh even working with your people.”

Councilwoman Patty Sofokles shared that she was grateful for the work done by Central Hudson but was not pleased with Precision Pipeline’s work. Precision Pipeline, LLC is an Orange County based utility contractor that assists Central Hudson with their utility and repair work.

“They [Precision Pipeline] dug up in front of my office three times,” Sofokles said. “I’m like, guys, get it right the first time and then didn’t repair the street properly.”

Mayor Torrance Harvey shared with the Central Hudson representatives that he remembered back in 2016 when he first joined the council that Central Hudson’s plan was to begin in 2016 and would end 10 years, in 2026. Now, the company’s anticipated completion time is in 2029.

“We are not happy with Central Hudson. We are not happy with Precision Pipeline,” Harvey said. “If it means anything, please look for a different contractor because we [city council] are not happy with their [Precision Pipeline] work.”

According to Harvey, he has been in constant communication with the city executive staff and additional city departments about their five-year paving plan which was supposed to be in coordination with Central Hudson but no milling or paving has been done as of yet for the season.

Harvey also expressed frustration on the maintenance and paving of certain New York State roads that run through the city and are the responsibility of the city, not the state.

“32 which is Lake Street, Route 17K which is Broadway, South Street which turns into [Route] 52. All those roads, we’re responsible [for],” Harvey said. “As soon as you step into the Town of Newburgh or New Windsor, the state DOT [Department of Transportation] takes care of it.”

While Central Hudson conducts their work, several sections of road are still waiting to be milled and paved by the City Department of Public Works, according to Harvey.