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Prince George's County residents decry snow clearing and 311 response; chair gives agencies 24 hours to act
Summary
Residents at the council's District 7 listening session described streets blocked by four-foot snowbanks, unanswered 311 complaints and insufficient contractor equipment; Council Chair Crystal Oriada pledged direct follow-up and said the Department of Public Works and Transportation has 24 hours to clear the worst sites or the council will hire contractors.
Residents told the Prince George's County Council at a District 7 listening session that this winter's snow and ice clearing left many driveways and sidewalks impassable and 311 calls unanswered.
"The snow was 4 feet high in front of my driveway and in front of my mailbox," Juanita Hodges said, describing repeated calls to 311 and an unsatisfactory contractor response. Multiple other residents, including Kenya Butler and Monique Mormon, reported streets plowed only partially or intermittently and said they had received no return calls from county staff.
Council Chair Crystal Oriada acknowledged the failures and said the council would press agencies for fixes. "The department's gonna have 24 hours to get it up. And if you don't, I will pay someone to come get it up," Oriada said, directing staff to collect addresses and photos so DPWT can act.
Council members and agency staff offered immediate follow-ups: council offices asked residents to leave contact information and photographs, and the chair asked Dion Rouse and other district staff to coordinate with DPWT supervisors. Councilmember Sydney Harrison said the council will review DPWT strategy in oversight hearings and consider capacity investments to prevent repeat problems.
Residents described consequences beyond inconvenience: blocked mailboxes, school-bus stops made hazardous and even emergency vehicles temporarily impeded. Several people urged that the county study and adopt best practices from neighboring jurisdictions, including pre-treatment, additional heavy equipment and clearer protocols for contractor performance.
The council also acknowledged shortcomings in 311. Multiple speakers said tickets closed before resolution and that voicemail or call-backs were not reliably returned. Councilmembers said revamping 311 and investing in technology and staffing will be a budget priority in the upcoming FY2027 deliberations.
Next steps: Council staff will compile the addresses and photographic evidence collected at the meeting for DPWT, which the chair directed to respond to the identified sites within 24 hours. The council said it will bring DPWT before the full council for an oversight briefing and consider budget increases to expand snow-removal capacity and 311 staffing.
