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Angdrambor t1_jcrgr12 wrote

Reply to comment by Illustrious_Listen_6 in Head of Baltimore’s sewer and water operations to step down by BOS2BWI

Why is the embarassment higher in everyone's mind than the public health hazard? Are we moving towards image-focused public policy?

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Illustrious_Listen_6 t1_jcryv5f wrote

I’m 10000% concerned about public health. This city needs highly educated individuals who want what’s best for this city. Wishful thinking on my end, I guess…

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MD_Weedman t1_jctaryf wrote

They don't pay enough to get those people. These jobs just aren't valued, and increasing funding for these things doesn't get you the political benefits (newspaper stories, TV hits, etc) that increasing the police budget or education budget does. So politicians ignore infrastructure until the bad stories about shit falling apart get so terrible that they need to do the minimum to get those stories to stop.

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bmoreurbancamper t1_jcs1bcg wrote

And not just present hazard like tainted water. My biggest concern with DPW is there absolute disregard for the environment. They are removing acres upon acres of forests to implement outdated “stream restoration” measures, that are known to fail, just to get MS4 credits.

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caul_of_the_void t1_jcspi4h wrote

Where are they doing this? That shit sucks.

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bmoreurbancamper t1_jctrgcq wrote

Gwynns Falls, Chinquapin Run, Powder Mill, Hillen Rd/Mt Pleasant, etc. they have a ton more planned. Stony arum is one they did less than 10 years ago and it’s failed 3 times. Each time they have to go back in and remove more trees to “fix” the problem. These projects are removing 100 year old trees for “30 year old projects” that only last 3 years.

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caul_of_the_void t1_jctuyt5 wrote

This is super interesting to know. I remember when they first did the Stony Run restoration. The first phase, in Roland Park, was closer to 20 years ago. At least in this case, the trees that have been planted are a mix of native species.

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Animanialmanac t1_jctavn8 wrote

DPW and the city forestry teams have done terrible things to the environment. In my area they tore down 1/4 acre of older trees they said impacted visibility in the big park, then they planted sidewalk trees where people paid to have the previous removed because they were getting into the sewer lines. Why remove healthy trees for visibility in a green space, that makes no sense. At least four years ago a woman from high up in DPW told us they were fixing the problems with the storm drains leading to the Maiden Choice behind my house. Four years later nothing is done, the river overflows the banks every heavy storm and the trees on the sides keep falling in causing jams. DPW causes problems all around by starting projects without finishing them or doing things that don’t make sense, yet no one from the city will take responsibility to fix the mess. I believe their stream restorations make things worse, the sewage leaks that DPW never fix means sewage goes right into the bay.

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bmoreurbancamper t1_jcttf2b wrote

Forestry is not part of the efforts to remove healthy trees.

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Animanialmanac t1_jctzo7s wrote

It’s hard to know what city departments are responsible for what, there is finger pointing and blaming other areas, departments, then none of the 311 requests are addressed. In the end the city residents and the environment suffer.

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bmore t1_jcy7il0 wrote

All the hard surface removals and streetscaping they could be doing with main replacements to get MS4 credits but instead they're tearing out trees. Insane.

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TrhwWaya t1_jd0x8me wrote

Nah, people just like to vent on reddit. Love your response tho .

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gervinho90 t1_jdcsfxa wrote

It’s 2023. Image is everything. Corporations and governments would rather be in decay and have a good image than vice versa. Sad but harsh reality

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