Council hears DPW briefing as residents press for tougher sidewalk enforcement and year‑round odd/even parking

Department of Public Works staff outlined this week how the city handled the winter’s heavy snow and what changes they are pursuing to improve pedestrian access.

Adam Potter, the city’s superintendent of public works, and Mark Forbanic, department head for streets and facilities, told the Common Council that the division is responsible for roughly 5 square miles of land, 70 center‑line miles of roadway and about 15.25 miles of sidewalk — roughly 20% of the city’s sidewalk network. "Since January 1st of this year we have spent $453,000 on snow removal," Forbanic said, citing recent storm costs and overtime and equipment use.

The presentation described how crews prioritize main routes, hills and emergency‑dispatch requests, then return to clear to the curb line when conditions and parking allow. Staff said they are using new asset‑management software to track costs by task, are exploring trackless snow‑removal equipment (estimated at $175,000–$200,000), and are pursuing state reimbursement programs such as CHIPS and EWR to fund capital purchases.

Public commenters pressed the council to do more to ensure residents and property owners clear sidewalks. "Don't accept that tactical team grant — that SWAT team equipment makes police look like a threat to the residents," Teresa Alt said during public comment, part of broader remarks urging the council to prioritize pedestrian safety and housing supports. Anne Sullivan described personal injury from uncleared sidewalks and said fines and enforcement must be stronger to change behavior.

Council members probed operational constraints: DPW staff said curb‑to‑curb plowing is frequently blocked by parked vehicles, and that a year‑round odd/even parking regime would give plow operators room to clear ADA ramps and crosswalks more reliably. Staff also said some sidewalk segments are narrow or have mailboxes and retaining walls that require manual shoveling, and that equipment and staffing limits — not just funding — constrain a faster response. The department reported having 10 plow trucks in the fleet and a mix of day and night crews (seven on day shift, six on night shift for the highway crews) and noted there are sometimes more pieces of equipment than certified operators.

Several council members urged the mayor and city manager to bring back a non‑prescriptive resolution directing the administration to provide a timeline and cost estimate for a sidewalk snow‑removal program and related parking changes. One council member said they plan to introduce a resolution to reinstate year‑round odd/even parking to aid snow clearance. The mayor and staff said such a request should ask the city manager for a budget and feasibility analysis rather than prescribe specific dates.

What happens next: Council members asked DPW to return with supporting cost estimates and for administration to work with the council if they choose to pursue a new sidewalk program in the upcoming budget process.