 |
| City Councillor Barry Cunningham wants property owners to be quick to their snow removal should the need arise |
With the winter forecast over the next few weeks indicating a mix of snow and rain, Councillor Barry Cunningham offered up some commentary as to how the city should endeavour to get ahead of the snow removal challenges when it comes to property owners and what is required of them.
Speaking at the end of Monday's Council session, the Councillor recounted some of the challenges last year when it came to some properties downtown that did not see prompt attention.
"Now that we're into the winter months where snow clearing and ice are building up on sidewalks and that, I notice that we sent out a notice to all the local businesses to shovel their walks and everything and they're pretty diligent about doing it.
But I also notice that last year and already this year with frost build ups and ice on absentee landlords that own property that don't live in town.
You know, we brought this up last year that snow wasn't cleared. There's a few people fell on the corner by McBride and third walking up third from the corner, there's a long stretch there that never gets cleared .
I think we should start either fining these people. ... or clearing it and sending them a bill, because I've noticed over the years that they just don't seem to worry about it"
Back in Mid November , the City provided some guidance for residents as to what is required, directing attention to the City's Snow Removal Policy.
You can review Mr. Cunningham's talking points to the issue from the City's Video Archive, starting at the one hour, seven minute mark.
More notes from Monday's Council Session can be explored through our Council Timeline Feature.
A wider overview of past Council Discussion topics is avaialble here, while notes specific to civic operations can be reviewed here.
And here we go again, threating letters get sent out prior to snowfall speaking of city policy, snow flies and it is the same as the prior year. Same properties no snow removal.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the saying, Doing the same thing over and over and over............. Still the same result.
"I think we should start either fining these people. ... or clearing it and sending them a bill, because I've noticed over the years that they just don't seem to worry about it""
ReplyDeleteInstead the above statement, this reader would have liked to see Councilor Cunningham pose these questions to the CFO, Corporate Administrator and Director of Operations.
How many letters were sent in 2021?
What was the total amount of snow related fines that commercial property owners received in 2021?
What costs were assumed by the city and invoiced to property owners in 2021 for snow removal?
A Nepalese Sherpa would have had problems navigating the Mcbride sidewalk between 9th ave and 7th ave last winter. What is the operations department doing to improve upon last years response?
There should have been an investigation done by the city on last year's snow removal or rather lack of during a significant snow event.
DeleteThe investigation is a management tool not to place blame but how to improve the removal going forward. It would also be nice if the investigation was released at a council meeting which will give the public a chance to measure performance.
"A city's snow clearance and removal was an operational, not a policy decision, and therefore not immune from negligence claims, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled today in a decision that clarifies how core policy decisions should be determined in a torts context."
ReplyDeleteNelson (City) v. Marchi - https://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/cb/2021/39108-eng.aspx
Prince Rupert failed on their core "duty of care" responsibilities during snow events last year.
Prince Rupert failed last year. In response to outcry, they rapped citizens on the hand with reminders of bylaws and fines. As someone that lives on a major street (PRB) I watch them scrape clean streets multiple times a day or on the flip side they did the worst job during the storm with no regard to the impact on businesses and homeowners by plowing them in with blocks ice and not removing piles of up to 6 feet high when residents attempted to clean. While Cunningham is correct that absent property owners should be held to account, the City also needs to do its job.
ReplyDeleteAnother clear pattern of this blog trying to make Barry look good simply because he complains at the end of a meeting.
ReplyDeleteThat's his entire political career: get headlines with complaints, make it look like he's the white knight crusader, but never put forward an actual motion, amend the budget, or present any alternatives