To the Editor
I read with interest your Feb. 13 article on a "public safety issue" recounting that under city ordinances, residents are required to remove snow from their sidewalks within 15 hours after a snowfall. If this is not accomplished there is a process of notifying the offender of their obligation, and, if that notice is not adhered to within 24 hours, the city has the right to hire contractors to accomplish the job with an assessment being levied against the owner.
The city has an individual to monitor the above paragraph: Wade London is the Code Enforcement Officer. Perhaps Mr. London might be the person to assist some of us with the problem below.
There are many residents (including myself) and shoppers in the downtown area who require the use of sidewalks/crosswalks for safe access to Main Street businesses. It's my understanding that under the American with Disabilities Act, there is a mandate that each crosswalk must have a sloped "cut out" area to assist folks with wheelchairs, walkers, canes, etc., that have problems stepping off a curb.
The problem: Since the first large snowfall in November until a week ago (thanks to the warm weather), the crosswalks have been nearly impassable. The city has been doing a fine job a clearing Main Street of snow through at least three blizzards, however, its plows only go in straight lines (north, south and east, west), resulting in piles of snow around the semicircular base of the crosswalks.
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These obstructions can range from a foot or more in width and 8 to 10 inches in height. The November accumulation was never cleared, nor were the second or third storms, thus compounding the problem.
Again, this predicament has existed from early November until last week-and may occur again before winter's last stand.
Help?
Bob Brady
Mitchell
