Osakis council forms committee to revisit snow-removal ordinance after safety concerns for school walkers

The City of Osakis voted to form a committee to review its snow-removal ordinance after council members raised safety concerns for schoolchildren who must walk along uncleared sidewalks.

Council members debated whether the city’s current practice — which the ordinance says property owners must clear sidewalks but has been inconsistently enforced — unfairly favors businesses in the downtown area. Speakers noted that many streets in Osakis lack sidewalks at all, creating equity and enforcement questions for any new rules. The issue was prompted, in part, by reports that students walking from school to a local grocery store sometimes must use the roadway because sidewalks were not cleared.

After discussion about enforcement windows, downtown coverage and possible municipal costs, the council voted to create a snow-removal ordinance committee. The committee members named were Chad Gilbertson, Darren Christo, Angela Jacobson, Tim Thorn Bloom and Mayor Judy Dorse. The council asked the committee to gather examples from other towns, evaluate enforcement options and return with recommendations to the full council by July or early August.

Members emphasized several choice points for the committee: whether to require businesses and residents to clear sidewalks or increase municipal clearing downtown; whether to impose fines and how to structure any fee or service; and how to communicate changes to affected residents. Several council members said they want the committee to include residents who actually have sidewalks so recommendations reflect those most affected.

The committee will also consider operational questions raised during the meeting, including the city’s capacity to plow or clear sidewalks, potential costs for property owners, and how to treat county roads without sidewalks. No ordinance changes were adopted at the meeting; the vote created the working group and set a timeline for reporting back.