Snowplowing crew asks for some cooperation

by Angie Asam, Staff Writer

Winter has hit and hit hard over the past week and the city department of public works crew has been plenty busy trying to keep the streets clear. They are doing the best they can, but some cooperation from city residents can make their jobs easier, safer and get the streets cleaned faster.

?What we would like is to have people stay off the streets at least in the morning. There is no need for retirees to be out at six in the morning riding around following the trucks. That?s the biggest problem, cars get out riding around and following the plows and cutting them off. Unless people need to go to work they need to stay off the roads until we plow,? said DPW supervisor Roger Wenzel.

Other things, too, pose a problem to the plow drivers including people getting right up behind them as they cannot see them. A reminder to residents is that three trucks go by on the main routes.

Trash cans in the street are a problem as well as the plow drivers have to go around them, the snow hits them and they may be knocked over spilling trash. Fences and mailboxes need to be strong enough to handle the snow load. The plow drivers get blamed when those things get broken, but they are just doing their jobs.

We go home at night

and shovel our driveways too. People get mad if they clean out their driveways and we come by and dump snow in the end, but that?s not our fault. That?s the snow residents pay taxes on. If people want nice clean streets to drive on we have to put the snow somewhere,? said Wenzel as the crew agreed saying they were equal opportunity plowers ensuring everyone got their fair share of the snow. Another reminder to citizens with pickups with plows they need to have flashers on especially on the main roads and all citizens need to remember that it is illegal to push the snow from their driveways out into the roadway.

Right now citizens need to try to be patient with the plow drivers and what they are doing on Third Street. With the street lights not installed yet, they are facing a tough time with the snow. Once the lights go in and the wires and boxes aren?t sticking out of the ground, things will get easier. Residents are asked to be kind to the snow plows and respect them by staying out of their way as much as possible and not crowding them.

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