Community Corner

No Sidewalk Snow Clearing By-Law Expected For Town Meeting

The town administrator does not think consensus can be reached on such a by-law for the May 6, meeting.

 

Town Administrator Tom Younger says he doesn't think there is enough time before the May 6, Town Meeting to assemble a sidewalk snow-clearing by-law.

At least not one that would be supported by consenus, he said at Wednesday's selectmen's meeting.

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Instead he recommends that a committee be formed including residents and Department of Public Works representatives to take up sidewalk snow removal.

He recommends setting up the committee after Town Meeting.

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The town admininstrator said he has received quite a few emails related to sidewalk clearing.

A survey of Patch comments after the blizzard earlier this month include a few schools of thought.

Some residents, including parents, say homeowners should be responsible for clearing snow from sidewalks. The cleared walks would keep walkers safely out of the road, especially children walking to and from school.

Others thought the town should be responsible for plowing the sidewalks; that neighbors should help neighbors; or that the issue only came up because of record snowfall.

Melissa Defilippi, mom to a Hadley kindergartener, and other parents interviewed earlier had hoped selectmen would bring forth a snow-clearing by-law at Town Meeting.


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