OUR VIEW: Clean snow from sidewalks
A good amount of the student body walks to class every day and probably agrees the sidewalks need to be cleared of snow and ice.
That’s the bottom line. Just as roads get cleared, sidewalks should be cleared. Pedestrians and joggers are put at risk when they end up on the road because sidewalks are too hazardous.
The city of Logan does not enforce the requirement that residents clear their walks, but it should.
Most of us have had the experience of our rear ends meeting the ice, and it’s not by choice. This is especially true in the evenings, when the ice is slick and the snow is frozen.
The Logan ordinance requires sidewalks be cleared on parts of Main and Center Streets, but what about 800 East, for example? Plenty of students truck it up and down the hill past the fraternity and sorority houses every day – they shouldn’t be stuck walking in the snow just because they choose not to take the bus.
Logan city should look into issuing citations when sidewalks are not clear, mainly for the safety of the students and the community.
Sylvia Tibbitts, a legal assistant in the city attorney’s office, said if a homeowner did not comply with the request, a citation would be issued.
If this was the case in Logan, a Class B misdemeanor – up to $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail – would be issued, Tibbitts said.
This is a hefty penalty for a simple cause, but something needs to be done.