Town praises snow removal but residents and council question sidewalk salting

The town heard a detailed report on snow removal after a 24‑hour storm and followed with resident praise and questions about heavy salt on sidewalks.

Ed Mulherin, the contractor on the town's snow program, told the council the snowfall lasted roughly 24 hours and extreme cold prolonged cleanup, slowing salt effectiveness: "It was very challenging for a number of reasons because that that snow the snowfall went for approximately 24 hours straight" (speaker 5). Councillors and residents repeatedly praised the crew's responsiveness and continuous operations during the storm.

Several residents and council members raised concerns about salt left on sidewalks after the snow melted. A resident attending by Zoom summarized the view: "First, I thought removal and clearing was outstanding. It was it was prompt. It was continuous. It was effective. My only question I have about the salt... is there any way to clean it up?" (speaker 8). Council member Kabir pointed to dog‑paw burns and elderly residents forced to alter routines and asked whether crews had oversalted sidewalks in places, noting some sections appeared "visibly green" while others showed heavy application.

Staff and the contractor discussed alternatives and tradeoffs. Mulherin said the town previously purchased a brine machine but had not deployed it routinely and expressed caution about relying on brine in certain weather: the contractor described situations where liquid treatments can wash away if a rain event precedes snow. He also noted mechanical limits on picking up and relocating large amounts of snow during continuous heavy snowfall and explained the typical sequence: keep roads passable first, then return to clear aprons and corners.

Council members and staff suggested smaller‑scale interventions to address residual salt, including using leaf blowers or small sidewalk sweepers to remove crystallized material and testing sand/salt mixes for extremely cold conditions. The contractor agreed to look into sidewalk sweeper options and to review spreader settings and crew instructions to avoid overapplication on sidewalks.

The council asked staff to follow up with a short memo on: (1) whether the town should deploy the brine machine more often; (2) options and costs for a sidewalk sweeper or blower program to remove residual salt; and (3) guidance for crews on spreader calibration and sidewalk application.

The council did not take a formal vote on snow policy at the meeting; staff will return with recommendations if changes to the contract or equipment are needed.