Dan Udell put video of the May 17 Hudson Common Council meeting on YouTube.
John Mason in the Register-Star reports that Hudson's Common Council meeting May 17 was as controversial as usual, with a May 9 informal meeting discussion about a cost over-run spilling over into the latest full meeting. The city's under-construction police/court complex had an $11,500 change-order request, a funny way of saying it cost more then expected. Hudson is turning the former Finnish Line building at 701 Union St. into a new police-court-office space, at a $4.3 million cost. Incorrect drawings, and the discovery of a deteriorating foundation wall mean the project will cost more. Part of the problem, Mayor Tiffany Martin Hamilton said, was there was never a survey of the topography when the request for proposals went out. "The order came in based on specs that did not take into account the slope of the land," she said. "I don't know if it initiated from the city or (construction manager) Joe Rapp ... I don't feel like we should pay for this, but we're kind of between a rock and a hard place." The council approved the increased funds, but was confused over whether the Board of Estimate and Apportionment — the mayor, the council president and the treasurer — also needed to approve the funds. After much discussion, the council agreed to have the mayor have authority to approve additional expenditures up to a certain amount, then the BEA, then it would go to the council. Read the full story in the Register-Star.