From the desk of Councilman Ravi Bhalla:
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
While summer in Hoboken is usually a quiet time in government, there are some important updates about what we are doing at City Hall and otherwise.
Fighting Future Water Main Breaks
I recently joined my Council Colleagues in approving Mayor Zimmer’s proposal for a $5.2 million bond for badly needed improvements to our city’s water mains. These infrastructure upgrades to our 100-year-old system are essential to preventing water main breaks and ensuring the smooth functioning of the system.
These proposed upgrades mark the first time in decades that a City Administration has finally said that enough is enough, and taken steps to directly address this issue, even though the responsibility for doing so has fallen through the cracks of a poorly negotiated agreement by a prior administration between the City and Suez Water. We are also actively seeking to restructure our water agreements to ensure that our water infrastructure is managed and maintained in a manner that minimizes any financial burden upon residents.
While not always generating the most widely read headlines, infrastructure work is critically important to ensure we can handle the challenges of a growing community and I fully support this measure. The City worked with Suez Water to identify the areas most in need of refurbishment.
Click here for a list of the areas to be upgraded in 2016-2017.
Upcoming Presidential and Hoboken School Board Elections
I hope you’re all motivated to get out and vote for Hillary Clinton in November to defeat Donald Trump. As the father of a 9-year old daughter, my wife and I are particularly energized by the prospect of a woman in the Oval Office, and the positive example it will set for our daughter and your girls across our country.
Much more important on the local level, the Hoboken Board of Education elections are also on Election Day, November 8th. Please keep this election on your radar and make it a priority to learn about the candidates and vote in the School Board elections. Although it’s exciting (and entertaining) to watch Clinton and Trump battle it out, your ability to have a meaningful impact on the local School Board elections is far, far greater than a national election. The simple value of your vote means so much more locally, so remember to vote and make your voice heard. I will be announcing my endorsements of School Board candidates shortly and look forward to speaking with you further about this race as we get closer to Election Day.
If you’re not registered to vote,
click here to download a registration form and don’t forget to register before the Oct. 18 deadline.
Option to Pay for Meters By Phone App Launched
Hoboken visitors and residents can now pay for parking in metered spaces by phone app. I’ve used this app to pay for parking around town a few times now and it’s really amazing! The Parkmobile application employed by the City provides a convenient option to pay for parking from your smartphone, allows you to add more time directly from your phone, and enables you or your visitors to track how much time is left on the meter.
Click here to download the app.
I hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.
If I can ever be of any assistance to you, please feel free to e-mail me at
councilmanbhalla@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Ravinder S. Bhalla
Councilman-at-Large, Hoboken
