The city’s Code Enforcement Office fined more than 500 residents $100 each for failing to clear snow from sidewalks and areas in front of their homes following the Jan. 6 storm. However, following a discussion of more than two hours among members of the Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee at City Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting Jan. 28, those fines are close to being rescinded.
- They actually fined people for not pickaxing through the permafrost of 10 inches of snow that was plowed up on their sidewalks by the town’s plow trucks? — Doug Ware
- What about the ones who took away from their bills or grocery money to pay someone to do it because they were in fear of being fined? — Christa Bledsoe
- Nice lesson being taught here. Why have this statute on the books if you don’t have the courage of your convictions to follow through with the penalties? — Dennis Kirkwood
- You had schools shut down for days but want to fine people for their sidewalks. — Christopher Joyce
- Some children walk to school. It’s not safe if the sidewalks aren’t cleared. It’s not safe walking to the bus stop if sidewalks aren’t cleared. If a sidewalk hasn’t been cleared, doesn’t that force you to walk in the streets? Sidewalks aren’t just for summer use. I don’t see any problem with fining people; it’s the law! Does this mean that the tall-grass ordinance isn’t going to be enforced this summer? — Kevin McCarthy
