City lends an ear to community input on snow removal - East Idaho News
Idaho Falls

City lends an ear to community input on snow removal

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IDAHO FALLS — About two dozen citizens showed up at a community meeting Wednesday to voice their concerns about winter snow removal.

City officials were on hand at the meeting to listen to public comments and answer questions about city snow removal policies and procedures.

Several City Council members and public works department employees spoke with residents to address and note concerns. The meeting was intended to help city officials better understand the needs of the community.

“This community conversation is intended to get a focus, to get an idea of what can be done better,” Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper told EastIdahoNews.com. “We want to know what services we could offer that would make snow removal easier, and if the community is willing to pay more taxes for some of those services.”

Many of the attendees expressed concerns about snowplows piling snow in front of driveways and mailboxes, in some cases leaving it for elderly or disabled citizens to remove on their own.

Several residents wanted answers about how the city would improve immediately. When they didn’t get the answers they wanted, they left the meeting.

Others voiced their appreciation to have to the opportunity personally address their concerns.

Casper said no decisions on future snow removal were going to be decided during the meeting, but rather that input received would be used in future decision making.

City officials closed the meeting by encouraging residents to participate in the conversation by completing a short survey between now and April 6. The link to the Snow Removal Survey and additional information can be found here.

“If 10 people take the survey, and five say they are happy, and the other five say they are not, we are going to pay attention to why the five aren’t happy,” Casper said.

Residents can also email questions and comments to snowsuggestions@idahofallsidaho.gov.

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The City of Idaho Falls got citizen feedback on snow removal at a community meeting Wednesday. | Photo by Stephan Rockefeller, EastIdahoNews.com

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