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Marquette snow management leaves residents out in cold

Don Potvin

I am going to make an attempt to speak civilly regarding a bad and long period of snowfall. Very obviously we have a lot of snow that needed to be plowed and hauled away.

I live at 718 W. Magnetic St., and the snowbank situation has never been as bad for as long as it is at the present time. I have called the mayor at least three to four weeks ago to register my concerns. I have also called Mr. Cambensy regarding street problems, about three to four weeks.

Everywhere I drive, I am under duress not to stick my nose out into an intersection out of concern for my safety. Many others have had the same concern on their drive around Marquette. As I see it, my calls did nothing to urge officialdom to react and cut down snowbanks and haul snow away. This would ease the minds and cares of many people.

We deserve better service as regards snow plowing and cleaning up the snow.

Snowbanks near my driveway are near six feet high. There is no more room to throw snow that is cleared from our streets and dumped into the nearest driveway for householders to more to boulevards or sidewalks and yards. If we only had snow to remove, the situation would not be so terrible. However, habit and cost considerations cause a huge amount of sand and snowmelt to be deposited in driveways. This by-product of snow plowing leads to very heavy lumps of icy sand. Snow blowers, shovels and old people are not easily able to remove this problem from our drives.

The truth is, the mayor, the city manager, the street supervisor, and the system must adjust! The aforementioned persons must realize the burden they allow to be placed on all householders. No burden for drivers! I suggest these folks get together and consider a program of snow removal, period. Although they have now begun to remove some snow, it is not enough. They are slicing straight up to the curb-line and leaving high banks, blocking sight line at intersection and driveways.

If we didn’t forgive the new hospital, Duke, for 12 years of no property taxes, we could do the fair thing. Be that as it may be, officialdom should adopt a program that doesn’t facilitate ease of driving at the expense of all householders living on any street in Marquette. At the very least, cease mixing sand and snowmelt, and snow and ice and drumping it in householders’ driveways. Two or three times a day!

All householders live without tax abatement and are more important to the well being of our city than motor vehicles and drivers! I am 88-plus years old, a 65-year resident, a former city commissioner that realizes any current commissioner can motion to direct our manager and employees to address the aforementioned problems.

Please publish phone numbers of officials and commissioners. I encourage all citizens to raise their voice now. I also would ask that all residents advise if the officials do not respond positively quickly, that they join me in saying anyone not responding will not get our next vote for the commission.

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