Photo Caption: CHM 1: L-R: Council President Jeffery Jones, Councilman Aslon Goow, Supporter Reverend James Salmon, Publisher and CHM Resolution author Keith Sirrano Baldeo of Paterson Pulse newspaper, Councilman Mc Koy, and Councilwoman Vera Ames all voted yes.

What\’s good for Nike isn’t good for this country and is barely good for the low wage workers it employs in China.

Jack Heath

By Bill Cleary

Thank God the snow stopped falling. Enough already.

Phillyweather.net reported that 16 inches of snow fell in the immediate area in a 24 hours period between Tuesday and Wednesday, the second major snowstorm in less than a week in the Delaware Valley. Would you believe the weather forecast is calling for the possibility of more next week.

Shoveling the snow from your sidewalk is back breaking work. But it has to be done.

Gloucester City and other communities have ordinances that mandate property owners to clear snow from their sidewalks or face fines. In Gloucester City the law states within 12 hours from the time it stops falling. Rightfully so; after all it is a safety issue.

But not everyone complies. Take for example the sidewalks that surround the Lane and Thompson Avenues playground in Gloucester City which remained covered with snow 72 hours after the Feb. 6 storm. As a result children walking to and from the bus stop were forced into the street.

Why isn\’t this location a priority? Those in charge of clearing the snow from public sidewalks are aware that this corner is used for a school bus stop.

One employee with a snow blower could clear the sidewalks at Lane and Thompson in 30 minutes or less. It is hard to comprehend why the Public Works department would clear the walks around Martins Lake, which they were doing again on Thursday, but leave this condition to exist.

I would also suggest the snow should be removed from the Market Street sidewalk that begins at the High School across Route 130 to Walnut Avenue. Another site is the Nicholson Road sidewalk that runs parallel with the Little League Field on one side and the Basketball Courts on the other side extending over and down the Hump Bridge. In both locations kids/pedestrians are being forced to walk in the street because the sidewalks are covered with snow and ice. And that is the way they remain until the sun melts the snow.

Because of these conditions the City is jeopardizing the lives of pedestrians. These situations are accidents just waiting to happen.

It also makes you wonder how can the City justify citing property owners for violation of the snow ordinance when they are just as guilty.

With that thought in mind I believe local governments need to come up with new ideas to save our tax dollars. One area to consider is hiring an outside contractor (s) to remove snow from the City streets and School grounds. Consider the savings in equipment alone. Less wear on city trucks, no need to maintain or buy snow plows, no need to have a fleet of pickups, and no employee overtime. The School Board could do away with its 4-wheel trucks and snow plows too. The state and some counties use outside contractors for snow removal, why can’t the city and local school board.

With an outside contractor doing the streets municipal/school employees using snow blowers could concentrate on removing snow from the sidewalks around playgrounds, municipal buildings and city/school parking lots.

I feel the suggestion is worth further study. What is your opinion?

Related articles by Zemanta

Clinton County, Pa. –A fire police member was fatally hit at the scene of a crash earlier today, according to WNEP-TV. The crash happened at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Lusk Run Road in Mill Hall.