Council praises public works after heavy snow, asks for opioid‑fund update and plans trash‑can ordinance review

Councilmembers used their remarks period to thank public works staff and volunteers for snow removal after an unusually heavy storm and to raise related public-safety concerns.

Multiple speakers commended Public Works for extended shifts and quick response; Councilmember Austin Jackson singled out the department for keeping streets passable and helping police and fire responders. Council members and residents also praised named officers and volunteers who cleared driveways for elderly neighbors.

Several councilmembers urged a more formal plan for post-storm snow removal that would include using rubber‑tired loaders to gather and haul snow from downtown blocks after crews finish primary routes, saying piled snow and ice create parking and pedestrian hazards on Main Street and other thoroughfares.

Speakers asked residents to help by shoveling around fire hydrants to keep 3 feet of clearance so emergency crews can access them quickly.

The council also asked for an update on the city's remaining opioid-settlement funds. A councilmember urged staff to consider whether the city can reimburse itself for emergency services costs under the memorandum of understanding that governs use of those funds, and encouraged nonprofits that provide related services — such as the local child‑advocacy center — to apply for grants.

Separately, a councilmember raised concerns about the recently adopted trash‑can ordinance, saying some residents — in particular elderly or mobility‑limited households on steep sidewalks — find it impractical to comply and asked that council schedule a work session to evaluate possible modifications after budget work sessions.

No formal council actions on snow policy, the opioid funds or the trash‑can ordinance were taken at the meeting; members asked staff to follow up and return with more information in future sessions.