Dear Editor:
This last week has brought an abundance of snow to Weiser. Although it doesn’t compare to the snow accumulation of 2017, effective snow mitigation needs to start now, not when we have feet of snow instead of inches.
This past week I have seen the citizens of Weiser step up to clear sidewalks, alleys, and clear street parking for themselves and their neighbors. While this is what neighbors do, it is frustrating to see the city crews come in and push the snow to the sides of the streets blocking the access that had just been cleared.
I understand that 2017 caught everyone off guard, but besides a priority list of streets to be plowed, what is the plan to remove the snow and the hazards it creates? Plowing the roads and pushing the snow to the sides of the road may be a solution for highways and county roads, but in a city, it creates more problems. It appears the city didn’t learn from the lessons of 2017.
If the current strategy of snow mitigation continues, and the winter weather pattern continues over the remainder of the winter (January and February are typically the wettest months of the year), what should the citizens of Weiser expect? Should we expect a city mitigation plan that leaves snow piled up blocking cars, alley access and sidewalk crossings, or a city mitigation plan that makes getting around Weiser easier, not harder?
I believe that the city can and should do better. Unless we expect/demand more from our city leadership in solving this problem, keep your snow shovels ready.
Respectfully,
Christina Marie Stanley
