BOE Candidates Talk Referendum, a Cornell Alum Speaks Out & the YMCA Steps Saga

And with that, let's move on.

Okay.

So there are certain things around Montclair that have a way of outstaying their welcome.

A broken sidewalk, an eyesore of a building maybe.

A problem that everyone seems to know about, but somehow months or even years go by and nothing changes.

Unfixed.

Exactly.

And when that happens, that sometimes leaves us wondering...

What the hell [upbeat music] is going on with that? [upbeat music]

[upbeat music]All right, so let's start at the beginning.

Several months ago, I joined the YMCA.

Yes, a major development in your personal fitness journey, Mike.

We have been following it closely.

[laughs]

Not too closely, I hope.

So one of the first things we noticed when I started going there more and more was that the stairway leading from the sidewalk down to the YMCA's entrance was blocked off.

It was, like, roped off and taped off because the steps were broken, and those steps are actually part of the municipal parking deck, which is right next door to the YMCA.

Yeah, which meant that instead of taking the most direct route, everyone had to kinda walk around and enter through the lower level of the garage.

Yeah, and at first I didn't think much of this.

A little caution tape, some concrete in need of repair.

Surely somebody had this on their to-do list.

Surely you can't be serious.

I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

But then a week went by, and then another, and then another, and eventually I asked somebody on the staff at the Y how long this had been going on and what the deal with the steps was.

And it turns out this wasn't exactly a recent development.

And with that, let's move on.

Okay.

So there are certain things around Montclair that have a way of outstaying their welcome.

A broken sidewalk, an eyesore of a building maybe.

A problem that everyone seems to know about, but somehow months or even years go by and nothing changes.

Unfixed.

Exactly.

And when that happens, that sometimes leaves us wondering...

What the hell [upbeat music] is going on with that? [upbeat music]

[upbeat music]All right, so let's start at the beginning.

Several months ago, I joined the YMCA.

Yes, a major development in your personal fitness journey, Mike.

We have been following it closely.

[laughs]

Not too closely, I hope.

So one of the first things we noticed when I started going there more and more was that the stairway leading from the sidewalk down to the YMCA's entrance was blocked off.

It was, like, roped off and taped off because the steps were broken, and those steps are actually part of the municipal parking deck, which is right next door to the YMCA.

Yeah, which meant that instead of taking the most direct route, everyone had to kinda walk around and enter through the lower level of the garage.

Yeah, and at first I didn't think much of this.

A little caution tape, some concrete in need of repair.

Surely somebody had this on their to-do list.

Surely you can't be serious.

I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.

But then a week went by, and then another, and then another, and eventually I asked somebody on the staff at the Y how long this had been going on and what the deal with the steps was.

And it turns out this wasn't exactly a recent development.