Snow problem: Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno apologizes for storm response, says city will do better

12/3/2019 -Springfield- This car was stuck in the snow on Greene Street in Springfield. (Don Treeger / The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic J. Sarno apologized Tuesday for last week’s storm response and promised the city would do better in the future.

Sarno said he directed Department of Public Works Director Christopher Cignoli to:

  • review street inspection procedures,
  • have a “full court press” with the Springfield Police Department to ticket and tow vehicles in violation of parking bans during storms,
  • aggressively manage and hold accountable plowing subcontractors, and
  • expanded pretreatment of roads.

"Again, my apologies, as we all know Mother Nature has a mind of her own, but we must and will be better prepared," Sarno said in a news release.

Also on Tuesday, At-Large Springfield City Councilor Jesse Lederman called for the city to put its snow map — used to track plowing progress during storms — online.

“I am appreciative of the many city employees and contractors who spend many hours working to respond to extreme weather events in our community,” Lederman said in a statement. "We also have to be able to assess our operations and address gaps in service. Placing the snow map online and updating it in real time would allow residents to know the status of their street at the same time as the DPW, and would also allow residents to be able to call into 311 in an informed capacity if their street is marked ‘done’ but in fact has not been cleared satisfactorily.”

Sarno and Lederman reacted one day after angry residents complained about poor snow removal at a Monday night City Council meeting, and one week after back-to-back snowstorms dumped a total of 19 inches of snow. Sarno and Lederman also wrote as another round of winter weather is on the way — snow is forecast on Wednesday.

Cignoli has said last week’s storms were ill timed, dumping snow at the same time as folks had to get to work, leading to traffic packing down snow until it froze and became impossible to move.

He said plowing contractors were in short supply, with many choosing to finish more lucrative construction projects instead of responding to the early-season snow.

“Once the snow stops, it takes us at least 12 hours to do the entire city,” Cignoli said Monday.

That’s if the trucks can pass up and down the street. Springfield has a perennial problem with drivers not obeying parking bans. Cars parked on the streets make it impossible to plow snow. During last week’s storms, the city ticketed 780 cars for violating the parking ban and towed 275.

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