Topic: COMMUNITY INTEREST
Do You Have An Appointment?
Do You Have An Appointment?
"Do you have an appointment?", is exactly what a Hamilton resident was told today at the Police HQ when they went in to share a crime that had been committed. The resident went in to report a significant traffic issue, chemical trucks driving in their residential neighborhood. Do you have an appointment?, is not what any resident should be told when they come to Police HQ. This goes against all the touting that the Mayor of Hamilton constantly states, "I have an open door policy." The open door policy is as real as a blow up doll.
This resident went to the front window at Hamilton Police HQ and spoke to a police officer, Badge #323 ( he did not have a name on his uniform, just the numerical badge) and told them about an issue that happened on June 3rd at 11:15am. She had photos of what happened that are time stamped. Officer 323 instructed the resident to use the phone on the wall to talk to dispatch.
Just a week prior another incident happened in the neighborhood and two traffic police came and told residents to come and file a complaint at HQ if another incident of dangerous truck traffic occurred. This incident also involved numerous trucks routing themselves through the residential neighborhood.
This has been going on for years in the Cornell Heights area. The residents have been in contact with the Mayor's office in Hamilton, the Division of Planning and Compliance, and other leadership in Hamilton, all efforts have been ignored. When the residents send up complaints through the HAMSTAT site, the complaints are immediately closed and they state in the closure, "issue resolved."
The residents clearly have gotten no resolution or relief. They have gotten broken windows, massive cracks in their foundations and walls, and DB readings that are well above acceptable limits due to the truck traffic. The leadership in Hamilton remains silent and ignorant to their requests for help.
When the resident spoke to the dispatcher in the lobby of Hamilton Police HQ and shared what happened they were immediately asked, "Do you have an appointment? Do you know the ordinance number for the rules on trucks driving through neighborhoods?" The dispatcher made the resident feel like they did not matter and the fact that a chemical truck was driving through the neighborhood was ok.
The resident had the license number (see photo above) and shared that with the dispatcher and hung up the phone. Upon finalizing the phone call with dispatch, the resident went back to the window to speak to Officer 323. They told him what just transpired, he seemed very annoyed and said," Let me take care of this, I will be right back."
He came back a few moments later and stated that the resident should use the phone again to speak to someone in dispatch. They did. They did not get very much further.
Police officer, Tobiaz, came out to speak to the resident. He stated," There is a chemical company in the neighborhood, what is your issue?" The resident stated, "The chemical company you make reference to is White House Chemical, a pool chemical company. They closed after the flood destroyed their business in 2012, never to reopen.
At the end of the conversation, the resident decided to go to the Hamilton Health Department to speak to Jeff Plunkett. Upon reaching the Health Department, the resident learned that Jeff was not in. Is he ever in? Maybe the resident should have gone to Fred and Pete's Deli, his favorite hang out. to meet with him. Officer 323 said another officer would come out to speak with them.
The township has also slated an solar field right down the street from the "chemical plant", where the flooding is even worse. There were never chemical trucks like you see here, delivering anything to them".
Truck turning onto Sandalwood Ave
The public safety issue here is quite monumental.If that chemical truck exploded, leaked noxious chemicals, etc would the leadership remain silent? If it happened in front of Mayor Yaede's home would she remain silent?
The resident left the police station and went to the Hamilton health department. They spoke to several people in the Consumer and Health Division. The ladies there seemed concerned and stated they would have Jeff call.
The resident has yet to receive a call from the Mayor, Jeff Plunkett, the traffic division, etc. No one is hopeful that they will get any response from the township. The traffic from heavy trucks in residential areas is causing the township millions of dollars in damages.
According to the ordinance, trucks shouldn’t deviate from assigned truck routes. This means 18-wheelers can’t drive in residential neighborhoods or park in their or other’s private driveway or front yard. If they do, it is against the law and the drivers need to be ticketed.
The Hamilton Township leadership's decision to continue to allow this to go on will only continue to cost the taxpayers in the end. It is costing more money for the township to repave or it creates pot holes. One of the streets, Sweetbriar Ave, is well on its way to become a massive sinkhole.It will also cost more innocent lives being taken. The trucks are traveling at high rates of speed, with no shoulder or sidewalks in the Cornell Heights area, residents are forced to walk in the street. Their lives are put in jeopardy each day that the leadership continues to ignore this critical situation.
These trucks are very heavy; they are coming in and out of the neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are paved different compared to commercial roadways where these trucks are driven. The roads on the backstreets of Hamilton are destroyed. Does the leadership not understand what they decisions are costing taxpayers? Obviously not. What will it take for the leadership of Hamilton to acknowledge what is going on? It took several horrific accidents, deaths and a decapitation, before they put up guardrail, (that should have been installed in the first place) on one road in Cornell Heights.The residents are scared and want their public safety to be taken seriously.
