<p>Irked at property owners who do not keep their walks shoveled after snowstorms, Tisbury selectmen are considering a tougher approach.</p>
Irked at property owners who do not keep their walks shoveled after snowstorms, Tisbury selectmen are considering a tougher approach for next winter.
At the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, board chairman Tristan Israel said he had noticed several places downtown where the sidewalks were not cleared after the last snowstorm. He said the problem has been ongoing for years.
“Obviously we can’t enforce the whole town, I wish we could, we have trouble with enforcement now,” Mr. Israel said. “The bottom line is we want an area that is accessible to people, and we have limited funds in town, but we need to develop some ideas on how were going to go about this differently than what we have done in the past, because it’s just not working.”
Selectman Melinda Loberg agreed, noting that property owners should either shovel walkways themselves, pay someone to do it or pay the town to do it.
Roads are plowed but sidewalks are another story.
Roads are plowed but sidewalks are another story.
One idea is to have the town department of public works clear sidewalks and then charge property owners, Mr. Israel said.
A Tisbury town bylaw requires that sidewalks be shoveled within four hours after snow stops falling, or by 11 o’clock the next morning if the storm is at night. Violators are subject to fines.
Mrs. Loberg said she had also heard complaints about maintenance of state-owned roads.
Town administrator John (Jay) Grande said that poses a different problem since the town has no jurisdiction over state roads.
“These areas we try and encourage pedestrian-safe travel,” he said, adding: “Next season, this has to be resolved.”
Josh Goldstein, whose family owns the Mansion House, spoke in support of stricter enforcement.
“I’d love to see you levy substantial fines on property owners who perpetually and habitually do not clear their sidewalks,” he said “I would really like to see some serious work on behalf of the town to clear the roads, so my guests can walk around, so my staff can get to the post office. You can’t get to the post office from Mansion House without walking in the street. We’re talking about what, thirty yards? Fifty yards?”
Mr. Israel asked that a proposal be developed by June for next winter. Meanwhile, for the rest of the winter, selectmen will ask the DPW to clear unshoveled sidewalks downtown as much as possible.
In other business, the selectmen signed an agreement with the Massachusetts School Building Authority, completing the first in a series of steps during the initial stage of the grant program that may lead to financial and planning assistance for the Tisbury School building.
The selectmen also appointed assistant DPW director Tom Mello as tree warden.
Comments
How about asking help from
Brenda OBHow about asking help from students who need to get their community service time in. Just have someone to sign off while shoveling.
That's a great idea. We'll
Melinda Loberg TisburyThat's a great idea. We'll check it our.
What about the house of
deshandra brown mvWhat about the house of correction inmates who pick up trash during the spring/summer/fall? Give them shovels. Problem solved.
Enough excuses, fine these
George Stein EdgartownEnough excuses, fine these people. What makes these people special ? Too many favors done already. Let the town clear my house too. Fines should have been imposed all along. Enforcement personnel failure to perform their responsibilities should be written up for failure to perform their job. This is why all the serious stuff gets put off as well. You get paid to issue summonses write them !
No snow down in Florida
J Klingensmith Naples FloridaNo snow down in Florida
Why not first say their names
concerned tisburyWhy not first say their names at your meeting and then start fining them. Why should the taxpayers have to pay for some lazy person. If a person is old or disabled establish a list and ask for volunteers to help them. But as a taxpayer, why should I have to hurt my back shoveling while others with more money and much healthier leave it to the towns?
Can we also enforce the
Christine VHCan we also enforce the parking ban to all side streets? And thanks to the DPW for clearing the sidewalks up to the Tilbury School. This did not happen last year so an improvement has been seen for sure.
While were at it can we also enforce homeowners to cover their trash bins and clean up all the trash in their yards???? Keeping your property clean takes no money, just effort....
When I moved here from
Mark London ChilmarkWhen I moved here from Montreal, I was surprised to learn that in most towns in Massachusetts, property owners are responsible for clearing the snow off public sidewalks. Apparently, some towns in the Massachusetts have this done by the town's DPW, which makes a lot more sense to me. Isn't it just as important to accommodate pedestrians as cars? The cost of buying and operating a sidewalk snowblower would be modest and, since it would be borne by all taxpayers, the additional cost for year-round residents would be minimal.
I don't understand why it has
Bob VHI don't understand why it has been so difficult to enforce the existing bylaw. I don't want my taxes spent clearing sidewalks in front of private property. Send the owner a bill. A lien on the property if unpaid. The town has been talking about this issue for years. What is the problem? Very frustrating.
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