Slow snow removal downtown has city officials scrambling over what to do about it.
Mayor Steve Arkwright’s plan was for the Department of Public Works to clear the sidewalks on Miller Road north of the Millpond, Main Street between the Plumb House and Middle Lake, both sides of Washington between M-15 and Holcomb, and Waldon between M-15 and the city limits.
It would take two hours and cost $30, he said at the Jan. 11 meeting.
Councilman Charles Inabnit thought the city needs more.
‘If it takes them two hours to do that, how long is it going to take them to do the rest of the city? They’re out there already,” he said.
‘In the winter, if they’re not plowing, they’ve got plans to repaint garbage cans, repair picnic tables. They’re here eight hours a day. I don’t think it goes far enough for the taxes we pay.?
Inabnit said every sidewalk in the city should be plowed.
‘If they’re out there, just do it. You come in, you get on the plow for four hours, you take lunch, you get on for another four,? he said. ‘That’s what we’re paying them to do anyways.?
Councilman James Brueck asked if ‘they are sitting there waiting for the snow to fall or do they go home.”
City Manager Dennis Ritter said they work their normal hours.
‘If there is a snowfall in the middle of the night and there is some consequence, the police department will call them and let them know and they’ll come in,? he said. ‘They’ll continue to do the plowing until the job is done.?
Brueck also opposed Arkwright’s idea.
‘If I’m the neighbor, I’d say ‘what gives here? I’m paying taxes, why are you doing Dennis’s sidewalks, but not mine?? Then they come into here and we say, ‘well we just decided arbitrarily that we’re going stop in front of your house,?? he said. ‘I have a problem being very selective.?
Inabnit agreed.
‘Not only that, but other people we’re going to give citation and fines too because they’re not doing their sidewalks, but we’re selecting to do other sidewalks,? he said. ‘How are we going to stand up in court if we have to take people in??
Brueck asked if it were possible for them to do all the sidewalks and stay within budget. Ritter replied that it was. He said Main Street was ‘peculiar? because Oakland County Road Commission plows passing lanes, but the city is required to do the parking lanes.
‘There are really two governmental units doing it, which makes no sense at all,? he said.
Resident and downtown business owner Bob Roth called the system ‘broken? and they need to ‘start from square one.?
‘I looked at downtown this weekend and we had a snowfall Thursday (Jan. 7) night and the main streets on both sides of the street still have not been cleaned off as of today (Jan. 11),? he said. ‘I don’t think these guys have a clue of what it means to remove snow and prioritize the job. You cannot pull up in front of the Clarkston State Bank.?
Business owner Kevin Harrison agreed.
‘We are doing what the village asks us to do, which is to push snow off of our sidewalk into the street. I would like to ask the village that they take care of that snow faster then a weekend after a snowfall,? Harrison said. ‘That needs to be cleared. Traffic is our lifeblood in the business district and if we can’t get people in because they can’t find a convenient place to park, that’s a problem.?
In defense of the DPW, Arkwright said part of the problem was they were instructed by the council not to work overtime or nights.
‘Council told them they cannot work these hours overtime,? Arkwright said. ‘So, they have to work it in the hours they have.?
Inabnit said it fell on Department Director Bob Pursley to schedule accordingly.
‘You do some scheduling so you don’t have guys coming in during the day, you have them coming in at night,? Inabnit said. ‘He is the department head he needs to start making these decisions.?
Brueck said they needed to ‘clearly define? what the expectation is.
Arkwright withdrew his motion and asked Ritter to have a detailed report as to how to clear all sidewalks and how much it will cost.
Councilman Mike Gawronski suggested Arkwright leave his motion on the table.
‘I agree with Chuck, if we can do it for some we can do it for all, providing there is the money to do it,? he said. ‘We have two weeks and how many snows ? at least some of the walks could get cleared if that motion is approved.?
Brueck said he would not support the motion as is because he didn’t want a ‘partial fix.?
Arkwright agreed.
“I don’t want a partial fix either, I think we need to keep the fire under our feet to get this done,? he said. ‘We need a resolution to this once and for all.?
Ritter appreciated all the feedback.
‘Last year was really difficult situation,? Ritter said. ‘This is going to be a great help.?