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Resident tells Sherburn council plows left streets impassable, stranding essential workers
Summary
At the Jan. 5 Sherburn City Council meeting a resident described two major winter storms that left residential streets unplowed, recounted stranded essential workers and urged faster, prioritized plowing — especially on Fifth Street near the elementary school and Casey's gas station.
A resident told the Sherburn City Council on Jan. 5 that recent snowstorms left parts of town unplowed and stranded essential workers and neighbors who had to be rescued from deep drifts.
"I am almost getting stuck. I am not sure I can make it up the road safely," the resident said, recounting a November trip to pick up a spouse and describing multiple December incidents when vehicles became stuck on Fifth Street near Casey's gas station and the elementary school. The commenter said some vehicles required a tow after a city plow attempted to help but could not fully free them.
The speaker asked the council to prioritize timely snow removal after single-day events and to ensure that main arteries and routes used by emergency services are passable during multi-day storms, specifically requesting "extra consideration" for Fifth Street.
City staff and the police described current practices and limits. The clerk said the city automatically declares a snow emergency when two inches or more fall and that the ordinance prohibits on-street parking from November through April; enforcement of that rule, she said, can be difficult because some residents lack driveways. Police representative Trevor said officers knock on doors during snow emergencies and will tow vehicles blocking plow operations, but acknowledged staffing limits and the difficulty of working through active blizzards at night.
Public works staff also told the council the department currently has two employees and that staffing constraints can delay clearing some streets. Council members discussed placing temporary ‘‘no parking’’ signs and emphasized that residents must move vehicles during declared snow emergencies to allow plows to clear streets.
The council did not adopt a new snow-removal ordinance at the meeting; council members asked staff to follow up on enforcement options and to return with any recommended changes or procurement requests for signs and related supplies at a future meeting.
The meeting record shows the council accepted public comment on the issue and discussed enforcement and equipment limits but took no immediate policy vote on snow-plowing rules.
