Looks like there is writing on the cap that is there at the very bottom, held on with screws. Clean off the top and see if there is anything in the writing, that will tell you. I would also call your local electric company and have them stop and look at it. It doesnt sound like anything safe, or legal, if its electrical. I wouldnt trust the handyman much, since it almost sounds like he really has no idea what it is. Do you see any others in your park that have these?

This looks like a variety of saltgrass, perhaps desert saltgrass? https://thenaturecollective.org/plant-guide/details/saltgrass/

What kind of grow medium is it in, and did you make sure it had an 'extra' measure of water to carry it over while you were away? It looks like oedema/ edema, a physiological disorder. Something I wrote about it: Oedema Oedema (aka edema) is a physiological disorder that can affect all terrestrial plants. It occurs when the plant takes up more water than it can rid itself of via the process of transpiration. The word itself means 'swelling', which is usually the first symptom, and comes in the form of pale blisters or water-filled bumps on foliage. Under a variety of circumstances/cultural conditions, a plant's internal water pressure (turgidity) can become so high that some leaf cells rupture and leak their contents into inter-cellular spaces in leaf tissue, creating wet or weepy areas. Symptoms vary by plant, but as the malady progresses, areas of the leaf turn yellow, brown, brown with reddish overtones or even black, with older damage appearing as corky/ scaly/ ridged patches, or wart/gall-like bumpy growth. Symptoms are seen more frequently in plants that are fleshy, are usually more pronounced on the underside of leaves, and older/lower leaves are more likely to be affected than younger/upper leaves. Oedema is most common in houseplants during the winter/early spring months, is driven primarily by excessive water retention in the soil, and can be intensified via several additional cultural influences. Cool temperatures, high humidity levels, low light conditions, or partial defoliation can individually or collectively act to intensify the problem, as can anything else that slows transpiration. Nutritional deficiencies of Ca and Mg are also known contributors to the malady. Some things that can help you prevent oedema: * Increase light levels and temperature * Monitor water needs carefully – avoid over-watering. I'd heartily recommend a soil with drainage so sharp (fast) that when you to water to beyond the saturation point you needn't worry about prolonged periods of soil saturation wrecking root health/function. Your soil choice should be a key that unlocks the solutions to many potential problems. * Avoid misting or getting water on foliage. It slows transpiration and increases turgidity. * Water as soon as you get up in the AM. When stomata close in preparation for the dark cycle, turgidity builds. If you water early in the day, it gives the plant an opportunity to remove (for its own needs) some of the excess water in the soil. * Put a fan in the room or otherwise increase air flow/circulation. Avoid over-crowding your plants. Al

Chisue, maybe someone will know what the edge is called, but that's not a table. It's the part of the frame you sit on. Thinking about the metal part, it just doesn't make sense that it wouldn't screw in with threads. But I don't see even a trace of thread marks inside the hole where it goes. Maybe they wore off, and that's how I lost it.