City council approves shorter shovel notice
Photo
Ryan Jorgensen, a maintenance person at McDonalds on Milton Avenue in Janesville, shovels the sidewalk around the front and the side of the restaurant by hand on Thursday. He had been working at it for about three hours and expected it to take several more.
JANESVILLE — Some Janesville City Council members admonished the city to clear its own sidewalks before it requires residents to do the same.
Some members also suggested Monday that the city hire contractors to clear the sidewalks when property owners fail to do so.
Those comments came as the council approved a change in procedure that is expected to get snow-covered sidewalks cleared faster.
A city ordinance requires walks to be cleared 12 hours after a snowfall. However, the city normally enforces the ordinance only when people complain.
The city sends an inspector when it receives a complaint, and if the walk is not clear, a letter is sent to property owners. The owners have three days from the date of the letter to clear the walk. Normally, two of those days have passed by the time they get the letter.
The city then sends an inspector again to verify the walk has been cleared. If it’s still un-shoveled after the three days, the city schedules a crew to clear it.
Normally, it takes about a week for a snow-covered walk to be cleared, said city Operations Director John Whitcomb.
Eliminating the letter will cut about half that time from the process, Whitcomb said. Instead of a letter, city inspectors will try to contact residents at the offending addresses at the time of inspection. Failing contact, the inspector will hang a notice on the door.
The city probably would clear the walk the next day if the property owner doesn’t do it, Whitcomb said. But Whitcomb said more residents would respond to the personal contact. He said property owners may live out of state, but tenants would take on the responsibility if told of the problem.
At the same time, City Administrator Eric Levitt added a provision that the city would not start clearing a violator’s sidewalk until at least 48 hours after a snowstorm. Levitt said he wanted to give residents a break in the event of a tough snowfall.
That prompted council member Tom McDonald to ask why procedures give the city 72 hours to clear city-maintained sidewalks. Russ Steeber agreed this could be seen as hypocritical.
Whitcomb said complaints are generally not received until several days after a snowfall, and city workers don’t clear property owners’ walks before they clear the city-maintained walks.
The council voted 6-1 to approve the change. Frank Perrotto voted “no,”
saying eliminating the letter was a good first step but that more should be done to clear sidewalks more quickly.
Perrotto said he’s seen sidewalks not cleared for many days.
“It’s wrong. Somebody could get hurt,” Perrotto said.
And people with disabilities face extra challenges with snow- and ice-covered walks, added council member George Brunner.
The procedural change will not happen immediately. Whitcomb said in a memo to the council that efforts would be made to inform residents before it is put into effect.
Perrotto asked what the city charges for clearing a sidewalk. Whitcomb said a minimum of $124.
Perrotto asked if that covers the city’s expenses. Whitcomb said it covers only the actual snow work. The inspection time and administrative time is not covered.
Perrotto said the city shouldn’t provide a service and lose money in the process. He said contractors should be hired. Steeber and Bill Truman agreed.
Truman said the city’s unionized workers are overworked during snow-removal now and that the union would likely not oppose contractors in this instance.
Whitcomb said the issue is already being discussed with the union.
Jan 14, 2010 at 11:56 a.m.
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Today is January 14th, 1010 - The city of Janesville is finally plowing the sidewalks in front of Sikers on Milton Avenue. Can the city fine the city for being so late?
Jan 13, 2010 at 10:19 p.m.
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IrishEyes....your first mistake was calling the city. You should just tear out the sidewalk if there are no others on your side of the street.
If you get caught, just remember....it's easier to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
Jan 13, 2010 at 10:14 p.m.
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usaret:
1. Anywhere from 20 t0 50 per hour.
2. Hourly wage plus all benefits X manhours.
3. Because you do have a sidewalk. Or buy a house without one.
4. Yes.
Jan 13, 2010 at 9:02 p.m.
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The city will charge a min. of $124, that is a deal when you consider all the city crews are already overworked trying to stop all the cry babies in Janesville that complain about the bad plowing, now they will have to be out clearing sidewalks of lazy people that are going to complain about the cost. It is a no win situation for the city. We have a great city council watching out for us and we live in a wonderful city!!
Jan 13, 2010 at 5 p.m.
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We did notify the city & called the Realtor. They said owner of property was going to take care of.
Jan 13, 2010 at 3:55 p.m.
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Maybe the city is in with the chiroprators of Janesville. Shorter shovels = low back pain
Jan 13, 2010 at 3:28 p.m.
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Okay BILLIONS served and they can't give him a snow blower to use. I know it cannot get everywhere but it can be used in most places.
Jan 13, 2010 at 2:41 p.m.
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spunz-AND benneton- did you call it in? They don't do anything if they don't know! If you tell us here, we cannot do anything either. Look at city site and call Sheryl Inman. I think she is a contact you can use for complaints.
Thanks tinker. I was just about to cut and paste this comment to city.
I would think the $124 is high for a good reason. TO KEEP people from disobeying the law and to deter them from not shoveling. They really don't want to shovel your sidewalk. If it was $50 maybe people would say hey good deal. I will let the city do it instead!
Jan 13, 2010 at 11:08 a.m.
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People, if you know of problem properties you should be notifying the City Service dept. not posting a blog on here. I called City Services and they said they would send someone out to the property on Hoover and Hawthorne. She also stated they are overwhelmed with complaints and they are trying to catch up on the new process. They still need to order door hangers. So Janesville residents please be patient and give the city a break. By the way, no I don't work for the city of Janesville but I also think $124 is extremely high to shovel a sidewalk. I know alot of highschool kids that would gladly shovel for less.
Jan 13, 2010 at 10:46 a.m.
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dumb de dumb de dumb de dumb de dumb de dumb de dumb de dumb dumb - Lyrics from the new hit single by that rocking Wisconsin music group known as the City Council. This new tune sounds like a lot like their previous hit single - "Deja Vu"
Jan 13, 2010 at 9:58 a.m.
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bennetonf1, is no one living there? I would like that tree limb! :)
Jan 13, 2010 at 9:31 a.m.
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Will the city also act under this regulation? Or will this be like Madison where private property owners are ticketed for not being "completely clean" and city property sits snow-covered next door for weeks on end....
Jan 13, 2010 at 8:29 a.m.
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Paging the City to the southeast corner of Hoover and Hawthorn. The walk hasn't been shoveled all winter and there is a HUGE broken tree limb hanging over the walk as well.
Jan 13, 2010 at 8:26 a.m.
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Can I at least use a shovel thats good for my back?
Jan 13, 2010 at 7:28 a.m.
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I am still required to shovel my sidewalks even though there are no houses on either side of me. I am the only one on my side of the street, but the sidewalks came with the driveway plan, etc. The sidewalks are only on my property. I had called the city to see if I could maybe get around shoveling them because in Milton they are putting up baracades at the end of the properties that don't have side walks after they leave your property, and the lady pretty much laughed at me and told me that I live in Janesville and that's what I am required to do.
Jan 12, 2010 at 10:42 p.m.
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What is the going rate for those who shovel snow for people and business's?
What is the $124 charge based on?
Why should I have to shovel my sidewalk when there are homes in Janesville that have no sidewalks which forces people to walk in the streets?
Am I responsible for clearing off the snow that was plowed from the street directly on top of the sidewalk?
Jan 12, 2010 at 10:39 p.m.
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I personally don't see what the big deal is? As a property owner you take on many responsibilities. If you can not get your walk ways cleared, or find someone to do so in the event you are gone, I don't see any problem with the city charging $124. Sure, it's a rip off, but it's your responsibility to do basic maintenance things to your own property as a citizen of any community. If you take the time to shovel/plow out after a snowfall, or arrange someone in your neighborhood to do so, then you'll never have to worry about a big over charge bill from the city.
Jan 12, 2010 at 9:51 p.m.
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Here's one for the books...I live in a neighborhood where there is a property that has a tree that is split in half (with the larger part of it going over the sidewalk). Not only is this tree like this the snow has not been shoveled since the Dec 9th snowfall....Do we think the person(s) that own this property have been given a notice of any kind?!
Jan 12, 2010 at 9:22 p.m.
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Better not go on vacation in the winter, your neighbors eyes are watching. Any homeowner knows that if you do not pay the money after the work is done, the City attaches the cost to the property taxes, and if do not include the money when you pay the taxes, the City puts a lein on your home by request to the State. Napalm is right, the City is a joke. If $124 in min, what the hell else do they charge for. They don't need "taxpayers" to change the rules. The city has crybabies who believe in the City. Why does Janesville let the council do this. Your taxpayers! you tell them, let them know your not happy.
Jan 12, 2010 at 8:27 p.m.
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Napalm - How is this costing any taxpayer money? I'm very sorry that your life is so insignificant that you have to complain about every story the gazette writes about.
Jan 12, 2010 at 6:49 p.m.
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ChsMkr - that was funny. I thought the same thing when I read the title of the article.
Jan 12, 2010 at 6:16 p.m.
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$124 minimum just covers expenses? Is anyone else outraged by this?
Jan 12, 2010 at 6:13 p.m.
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At my height, using a shorter shovel makes my back hurt.
Jan 12, 2010 at 5:19 p.m.
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Napalm - and why is that?
Jan 12, 2010 at 4:57 p.m.
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So you are lucky enough to get out of town for a few days. The local weather forecaster blows another prediction - a freak storm blows in - The city waits two days knocks on your door (no answer obviously) shovels the snow you know nothing about and sends you a bill for minimum $124.A big alert to make sure you line up a dependable shoveler at the same time you cancel your paper & mail delivery.
Jan 12, 2010 at 4:10 p.m.
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The sidewalk the city "cleared" near here still has 2 inches of snow on it! It's more like they scraped the top off of it. Certainly wouldn't help a person with disabilities get through.
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