Town Provides Snow-Removal Update, Asks for Residents' Cooperation

Having received close to 70 inches of snow already this winter, municipalities across Massachusetts are struggling to keep up.

The town of North Reading is working to cut down snowbanks and keep sidewalks clear, but it is asking for help from homeowners and businesses, Town Administrator Greg Balukonis wrote in a notice to residents that was provided to North Reading Patch and is available on the town website.

The town is clearing high snowbanks at intersections to improve visibility, Balukonis wrote. The first priority is major roadways, and then areas of high pedestrian activity, including around schools.

When those intersections are cleared, the snow is being pushed back, and often is pushed onto private property, Balukonis said.

"We appreciate the cooperation of abutters in these instances in our efforts to improve safety," he wrote in the statement.

The large amount of snow and the frequency of storms have led to roadways becoming narrower. The town is using equipment to widen the streets as time and resources permit, Balukonis wrote.

The town already has spent the $300,000 available for snow removal for the 2011 fiscal year. The Board of Selectmen at its Jan. 24 meeting, allowing the town to continue spending to remove snow. 

Additional funds will be appropriated to cover the deficit after the winter season, with money coming out of the 2012 budget, Chairman Robert Mauceri said at the meeting.

The work on the roads this season has slowed the town's ability to clear sidewalks, Balukonis wrote in the notice, asking parents and commuters to plan accordingly. The highest priority areas for sidewalk clearing are near schools, he wrote.

The town also is asking residents not to dump snow onto roadways and sidewalks that have been cleared. Doing so is a violation of the town bylaws, Balukonis wrote.

The town is digging out fire hydrants as needed and as resources permit, Balukonis said. But residents should shovel out a hydrant in their neighborhood if it is buried, he added.

"We request that residents assist the town by digging out the hydrant by their homes," Balukonis wrote. "Due to all of the other work mentioned above, we have very limited resources to dig out hydrants."

The also is asking residents to clear snow away from vents for gas-fired appliances. In a statement on the fire department website, Fire Chief Richard Harris said snowdrifts blocking external vents could lead to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide inside the building.

The winter storms also have affected rubbish and recycling removal this year. The town provided the following advice to residents to assist with trash removal:

• Do not place recycling bins and rubbish containers or bags curbside for collection until the morning of trash day (no later than 6:30 a.m.) if overnight snow is forecast.
• Listen and watch for announcements on delayed collection. Announcements will be made in the local media, on NORCAM, and on the town website. Given the frequent storms, the town will be making announcements more frequently.
• Make sure that your recycling and rubbish containers are accessible for collection and not blocking sidewalks, which may impede snow clearing on those sidewalks that the town clears (even though that clearing will be delayed in many instances), and has resulted in damage to containers and to snow-clearing equipment.