RUMFORD — Selectmen on Thursday night unanimously voted to allow Public Works to resume using their specialized sidewalk snowblower but asked that crews try to direct the snow away from shrubbery.
The practice had been halted after residents complained about deposits of sand and salt on their flowers, shrubbery and lawns.
Town Manager Carlo Puiia started Thursday’s discussion by briefing the board about the problem and complaints.
He said the equipment was bought to save money, because it allows Public Works to make one pass to clear sidewalks.
“We have the right to deposit snow in the right of way, which may be on my property or your property,” Puiia said.
He said his lawn and flowers have been damaged in the past by salt and sand deposits from sidewalk snowplowing, but he just accepted it.
However, he said that after listening to complaints from other residents, it was decided to stop the practice of depositing snow on people’s lawns.
“It’s a great piece of equipment if they’re allowed to use it as it was intended,” Puiia said.
Selectman Mark Belanger then motioned to reinstate and approve use of the sidewalk plow.
“It’s much like a regular snowblower and they have great control over direction and they can point it down and minimize the impact, but there will be an impact,” Puiia said.
“There are some residents that are aware they’re going to get salt and sand on their lawns and they put a tarp down in that area, and I guess they attach it with either nails or spikes or something,” he said.
“And then what happens is the blower comes along and snow gets deposited, and of course there is sand and salt in the snow as they plow, and this tarp protects their lawn, so they live with it and they are aware of it.”
Puiia said hopefully, residents whose lawns are similarly affected can also use protective tarps in the future.
Belanger then shared a complaint he’d received from a resident.
“One of these guys has a burning bush . . . and it got clobbered” by blown snow from the sidewalk plow, he said.
He then asked Puiia if the sidewalk crewman could redirect the blower away from such shrubs.
The board then voted 5-0 to allow crews to use the equipment again. After which, Selectmen Chairman Brad Adley told Public Works Superintendent Andy Russell, “OK, go blow some snow.”
In other related business, Puiia asked selectmen to approve relocating parking spaces on Rumford Avenue at the town snow dump.
Russell said people parking along the street “seem to be encroaching nearer and nearer” to where town dump trucks turn into the lot to dump loads and he worried about an accident happening.
He said there is an area of 130 feet in which people can park and at another site. Selectmen agreed, voting 5-0.
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