Each week, City Manager Tom Aspell maniacally pets his cat while referring to himself as the kitty manager, until the cat gets creeped out and claws its way free. Thankfully the scratch marks spell out a city memo.
Did you notice it snowed?
‘Cause it sure did
With more than 24 inches of snow falling within the last week and a half, staff of the General Services Department has been challenged trying to plow roads, clear sidewalks, and remove snow, Aspell writes. And to resist the urge to punch everything.
Crews worked diligently throughout both Wednesday and Thursday night last week removing snow from downtown and the surrounding area. Snow that refused to be removed was charged with disturbing the peace.
Staff continues to clear snow from the sidewalks and has also started removing snow from the smaller side streets that have been narrowed from the snowbanks and posted with emergency “No Parking” signs.
The city appreciates the public’s continued patience as crews work to keep up with the abundance of snow that has fallen. If it snows again, though, everyone is quitting.
Don’t run where cars go
Be safe in those streets
As we enjoy (*snicker*) the winter season, we appreciate our citizens’ desire to get out and exercise before the snow has been cleared from the streets and sidewalks, Aspell writes. We kind of appreciate it, at least.
In Concord, snow is cleared from the roadways first. Depending on the severity of the storm, it may be days before resources will allow the clearing of sidewalks. During that period, many walkers and runners move to the streets (in the literal sense, not the TV police drama sense). Pedestrians and motor vehicles sharing the roadway is already a risky mix. That’s why they don’t allow joggers on racetracks, probably. Once adverse weather or roadway conditions are added, it can be a recipe for disaster.
The Concord Police Department would like to offer some simple safety precautions that should be taken when walking or jogging in these conditions:
∎ Limit the use of the roadway and utilize sidewalks as much as possible. This may mean wearing extra clothing or footwear, or attaching a snowblower to one’s outfit, to navigate the areas of sidewalk that have yet to be cleared.
∎ Use common sense and avoid this activity when visibility is limited by darkness or precipitation.
∎ Always wear bright, reflective clothing and utilize running lights, day or night. Never assume that drivers can see you. Wear the same clothes to work if you want to be more visible there, too.
∎ Make movements obvious with appropriate hand signals (but no finger signals) or other means so that you are not surprising a driver. Motorists may not be able to stop or control their vehicles when reacting to unexpected pedestrian movement, like spontaneous Macarena performances.
∎ Use care and watch for potential hazards on the ground, including black ice or unlevel snow accumulation.
