Woodstock Village Trustees want your input on the subject of a required sidewalk snow shoveling ordinance, which has annually stirred some controversy and was an agenda item at Tuesday night’s meeting,
For years, village residents have been required to clear their own sidewalks in the winter, or face a fine for not doing so. Some residents, however, have objected to this, saying it is unfair that those who are physically unable to do such work have to pay someone to get the job done.
Some who attended last night’s meeting want to see the village take on the job. Others , including some Trustees, object to adding this expense to their taxes.
Village Manager Phil Swanson said last night that an estimate from 7 or 8 years ago put the estimate at $140,000 per year as what would be required for the Village to clear the sidewalks. However, Village Trustee Bob Pear calculates that buying an appropriate snow-cat type blower and hiring a seasonal employee for this work, for six months in the winter to cover the six miles of sidewalk would only cost the Village $25,000.
Commenting on the estimated $140,000 sum, Village Trustee Patricia Compton said, “That’s an enormous figure to add to our taxes.”
At last night’s Trustees meeting, High Street resident Annie MacDonald said she preferred to have the Village do this work.
“I’d be $300 richer, and I’d be very happy if my taxes were more” to pay for the work, MacDonald said. She also wanted the snow clearing to be more consistent throughout the village. Due to economic hardship and a bad back, and her husband having to be off to work early some mornings, she is not able to clear her sidewalk and has been subject to fines in the past. She also asked why she might end up legally responsible for someone getting hurt on it due to inadequate clearing when it’s a Village walkway.
For Village Trustee Bob Pear, it’s safety issue for pedestrians. “There are areas at times where you have to walk out into the street. That’s unsafe. Sometimes the sidewalk is left icy. That’s unsafe,” Pear said.
The Trustees are considering letting Village resident decide whether the municipality should pay for sidewalk snow removal. They could put this snow removal matter on the 2012 Village Meeting ballot themselves, or concerned citizens could bring forward a petition with at least 40 signatures to force a 2012 vote.
For now, the Village Trustees will re-visit the snow issue at a December meeting. They say they want time to hear from more people on either side of the issue before making any move to change the ordinance.
Note: Woodstock Early Bird spoke on this issue as a resident of the Village and said she supports Village removal of sidewalk snow in a consistent manner saying it goes to the issue of how we present ourselves overall to the visiting public and as a way to provide consistently cleared and safer sidewalks throughout the Village. We also believe that an ordinance which slaps fines on those least able to pay for contracted snow shovelers or those least physically able to do the work themselves is discriminatory. At the very least, maybe we need to put some of our Irene Flood Response volunteerism into action to help those who need a little help this winter to stay in compliance with Village ordinance.
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 