LETTER: Watertown Needs a Snow Shoveling Ordinance
Seeing the many sidewalks still not shoveled around town shows the need for a requirement for residents to clear snow, John MacNeill writes.
Editor: Four days after the big storm and way too many Watertown property owners still haven't shoveled their sidewalks. Roads are only partially plowed, leaving no room for pedestrians who're forced to walk in the street. This problem comes up year after year but nothing is done about it. Snow and ice covered sidewalks are a hazard for emergency personnel, postal workers, commuters who need to reach their bus stops, and children walking to school. Cunniff School, for example, has no bus service and not everyone has an extra car to drive. Young kids shouldn't have to risk injury just to get to school. In 2010 the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overturned 125 years of legal precedent and ruled that all Massachusetts property …
In this Article:
Carolyn A. Gritter
2:53 pm on Saturday, February 16, 2013
I suppose Mr. DiMascio is prepared for a substantial increase in property taxes to pay for the legends of shovelers that would be needed to clear walkways and for the purchase of snow removal equipment such as snow blowers and SnoCats. Forcing pedestrians to put themselves at risk by walking in the street because of uncleared sidewalks is unacceptable. Since Mr. DiMascio does not want to work for… more ›