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Palmyra council orders 60-day review of snow-removal operations after resident complaints
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Summary
After multiple residents described hazardous post-storm conditions, the Palmyra Borough Council agreed by consensus to a 60-day review of snow-removal staffing, equipment, routes, communications and response procedures and asked staff to report findings to council.
Residents pressed the Palmyra Borough Council on unsafe post-storm street and sidewalk conditions on Feb. 10, prompting council members to agree to a focused, 60-day review of snow-removal operations.
The review, moved by a councilmember during the meeting and adopted by consensus, will examine staffing levels, equipment, plow routes, communications and response procedures and return a report to council after 60 days. Council members described the borough’s current snow policy as outdated (last written in 2009) and said the solicitor will be consulted on enforcement limits and legal authority.
Public commenters described narrowly avoided collisions on narrowed two-lane streets, large windrows obstructing sidewalks and buried fire hydrants. David Hein, who identified himself at the mic as living at 651 South Harrison, said a private contractor, Brandt Landscaping, cleared critical locations after the storm and asked why borough crews were not visible during those efforts. "After the challenge with a very, very real problem, Palmyra did nothing," he said at the microphone.
William Ziders, of 333 East Main Street, said he personally cleared some streets and accused the borough code enforcer of inconsistent enforcement, urging stronger oversight of rental properties whose tenants he said left litter and damaged fences. Several residents presented photos showing large windrows on sidewalks and urged the council to coordinate with larger off-street parking providers during storms so plows can clear to the curb.
Council members said they will update standard operating guidelines for public works, coordinate with the solicitor on legal constraints, and consider prioritizing park walking trails in the snow plan only when street conditions are safe. The group described the review as a path to concrete recommendations rather than immediate policy changes; council did not record an individual roll-call tally for the consensus agreement.
Next steps: staff will compile the review with recommendations and present findings to council after the 60-day period.
