snow removal

UPDATED: Snowgates in Sioux Falls. Let’s just test them again.

l3wis August 3, 2012 35Comments

UPDATED: I see the AL had to write a follow-up editorial to snow gates just one day after I initially posted this;

Snowgates are popular and many people want them. Others think it is a silly use of taxpayer money.

There’s no justification at this point to add, except that people love snowgates. Public policy and budgeting need to be based on more than what we want. We need to make those decisions based on what makes sense.

LMFAO!

Why change things now? Was a new EC a want or a need? How about Jr. Football fields?

You know who is ‘silly’? The editorial staff of the Argus Leader. While you praise monkey spas and indoor hockey and event centers, when the city is actually providing a service for taxpayers, it is ‘SILLY’ and too expensive. But a heated floor for Rhinos? That sounds like a perfect project to spend our tax dollars on.

And you sit around in meetings for hours on end, wondering why your newspaper subscriptions are in the toilet, because you don’t have a freaking clue who your subscribers are.

I don’t know whether to feel sorry for you, or just laugh it off. I’m laughing today.

Last month, the mayor of our great city left me a long voicemail about all things Mike Huether. Let me summarize it, and leave out the arm waving and good folks of SF,

“If you have a question about something, just ask me.”

Ok. I concede.

So I have been throwing things his way (still haven’t asked him his chicken salad recipe – I am a chicken salad fanatic) but I did ask him about snowgates.

Dean Borchardt, from the department of snow gate testing, I guess, sent me this email;

The 2011-2012 snow gate summary memo has been added to the City of Sioux Falls website at the following link:  http://www.siouxfalls.org/public-works/street-fleet/snow/snow-gate-analysis-pg.aspx.  I have also attached a copy of the original memo as Director Cotter requested.  We are currently on the August 21st, 4 pm City Council Informational agenda to discuss snow gates.  Thank you for your interest.

Dean Borchardt

So I guess we are going to just keep testing these things until all the test areas include the whole damn city.

The funny part about snow gates is if you put these things on the ballot, it would pass in flying colors. I found this comment interesting in the statement linked above;

We have learned a large number of homeowners support the use of snow gates in the areas we have tested in the past two winter seasons.

Duh.

Break time at the skate park

l3wis March 4, 2012 11Comments

A South DaCola foot soldier sent me this, this morning. Apparently they took the picture at 7 AM and when they drove by an hour later they were still sitting there in the same spots. What we don’t know is how long they were there before 7 AM and how long they were there after 8 AM. Kinda reminds me of the sander truck driver who takes his ‘break’ hiding behind the can recycling building on my street. I see him there all the time, or the guy I would see a few summer’s ago who would read a novel while watering ONE tree at a time at Yankton Trail Park (because when you have a huge water truck like that you can only run one, 1″ hose at a time 🙂

Maybe the city needs to watch their own TV commercials?

l3wis January 25, 2012 11Comments

(ABOVE: KELO-TV Screenshot)

This is no surprise, and has been going on for years.

Those who walk this area more than one time per week say walking on these conditions isn’t just slippery, it’s also frustrating.

“It’s kind of bogus. They expect us to keep up with our end of the deal and they’re not up to it. It’s frustrating for us commuters on bikes to have to get up and take that time to get through that snow,” Bull Bear said.

I have often noticed that the city takes their sweet ass time cleaning city property. Surprised they don’t require the railroad company to clean the sidewalks on the viaduct since they are the closest adjacent property. Funny how the city dictates to us that we clean THEIR sidewalks and trim THEIR trees but they can’t do it themselves. Pretty soon they will have a city ordinance requiring all pedestrians to carry around a shovel in the winter. Of course the city had an excuse;

KELOLAND News checked several bridges around the city and found many were like the viaduct. We also talked with a city official who explained that most of the bridges in the city, including the viaduct, are state property. However the city does clear them off if they receive a complaint about snow cover.

Hmmm. Bridges in SF are state property. Then why in the hell did SF taxpayers have to bond and pay for the new bridge on 41st street? So which is it?

(BELOW: Channel 16 Screenshot commercial)

The snowgate issue is not going away

l3wis November 22, 2011 15Comments

I’ll have to give props to Callison from the Argue Endorser for writing a pro-snowgates column today;

More than 125 people attended last week’s meeting on snowgates.

As the allotted hour stretched to the 90-minute mark, when I called it quits, one thing quickly became clear: Sioux Falls residents who live in the test areas last year really love snowgates.

So much so that when Huber, the city’s street and utilities manager, broke the news that they would have to do without them this winter, people groaned in disappointment.

I whimpered a little myself.

Count me among those who love-love-love snowgates.

That’s because #1 they work (even better when they don’t use an inferior product) and #2 it is a service being provided to citizens, something we already pay dearly for. There are some drawbacks though;

The negative feedback mainly dealt with how narrow streets became after being cleared with the snowgates, he said.

Fair enough. But ALL streets get narrower, with or without snowgates, especially in central SF. I cut thru Pettigrew Heights almost everyday on my way to work, and those streets are narrow without snow. The other drawback is it will take longer to plow the city out. I can live with that, I have often said if we are going to plow the streets, do it right. Which of course brings it to costing more. Well duh. But if we have all kinds of money for monkey crappers and events centers, we certainly have a couple of million more a year for snowgates, which brings us to this comment;

Young with kid: I’m a fan of snowgates. There are very few things I would ever say charge me for, but I am willing to pay more for that. (After he finished speaking, someone called out, “I’d rather pay for snowgates than the events center.” That drew the biggest applause of the evening.)

To Hell with Build it Now, I say Plow it Now!

STORMLAND TV could find only one person in a crowd of 100 to talk in support of snowgates?

l3wis November 17, 2011 3Comments

(Image; KELO-TV screenshot)

Leave it to STORMLAND TV to cheerlead for spending millions on an entertainment center we don’t need but poo-poo something that would benefit all citizens;

If support here were measured in snowfall, there would be a mountain to move. Snow gates may not mean the end of their driveway woes, but more than a hundred people here think they’re a good start.

Okay, so 100 people showed up (see image above) but Stormy Bartnik could only find one single person to interview in support, then features an opponent who is opposed to snowgates because life should be as hard for everyone else as it was for him when he was four years-old?

“I grew up here since I was four years-old, and we’ve moved our own snow all the time,” Jeffcoat said.

Well good for you! Go get ’em Tiger! This is something that would benefit ALL residents, unlike an Events Center. I say full steam ahead! A South DaCola foot soldier made this comment to me tonight about the meeting attendence;

I just got back from the “Snow Gate” meeting with Galen Huber. Standing Room Only! I told Galen he had more people show up for the snow gates than Mike ever got for his EC Roadshow.

Tells you what the working man’s priorities are? Huh?