SERVICE: More is needed

The citizenry of our lovely North Idaho towns pay taxes, but there is a glaring lack of service from local public works departments when it comes to snow removal.

Specifically the cutting down to asphalt of the snow pack after the storms subside and the weather warms.

I’m surprised there hasn’t been a class action lawsuit from people who have had accidents due to the cities’ negligence. You have the equipment, but you’re not using it.

Before living here, I lived in Bend, Oregon...somewhat of a ski town, but it received far less snow each winter.

There, the city owned graders just like CDA, Post Falls and others here. The difference is, Bend used them to cut the pack down to asphalt on some city owned streets and contracted the rest because they realized the citizenry paid a fee (taxes) and they knew it was up to them to provide a service for that fee.

Bend contracted out the rest of the snow removal to companies that had the experience, equipment and personnel to accomplish the task. I know because I worked for a company that had snow removal duties for a quarter of town. The city focused on the core, a certain radius from town center.

Is that what’s needed here, as evidenced by my numerous trips past public works on Ramsey and observing the graders parked through the recent warm up? Why own them, city, if you’re not going to utilize them to provide the service for which we pay taxes and is your job to perform?

Is it a problem with lack of experience amongst your personnel?

If that’s the case, I can train them, when I get back from Alaska.

DUANE MARTIN

Coeur d’Alene