By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
The amalgamation of snow, ice and sleet that pelted Burlington Dec. 28 and 29 left the city with a clean up quandary – and at least one resident and business owner steamed.
Dale Bruesewitz came to the City of Burlington Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday with more than a few words to share about the snow cleanup following the storm that dumped more snow – and ice and freezing rain and sleet – than expected right before the New Year holiday.
“Does anyone know what’s going on here?” Bruesewitz asked after calling the storm the most poorly handled he’d seen in the city. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
Bruesewitz said the city’s effort to clear the snow after the storm was inadequate, leaving businesses without proper access for their customers. While roads downtown were cleared, large and icy snow mounds remained for the better part of a week at curbsides making access to businesses difficult.
Bruesewitz also said the snow removal operations seemed to simply stop after a certain amount of progress.
After speaking during the comments portion of the committee meeting, Bruesewitz came back and blasted the process further in the Common Council meeting.
But until he threatened a class-action lawsuit on behalf of his business and others, the council remained mostly quiet. When he did threaten, Alderman Tom Vos – sitting in for Mayor Bob Miller as council president – finally spoke up.
“Dale, I think that’s a little rash,” Vos said. From there, the floodgates opened. Vos pointed out that the snowstorm hit the entire city hard.
“It was wet,” Vos said. “It was heavy.”
Alderman Tom Preusker said he believes the priority had to be in clearing the roads, not the sidewalks, during the storm.
“I think it was bad timing all around,” Preusker said.
New Director of Public Works Jim Bergles outlined how the city attacked the storm – and the costs of the effort. Because of vacations and the storm falling in the days before New Year’s Eve, city staff had to be rotated.
Bergles said staff needed to stop at some point and rest. When they came back to remove the snow, it took longer than expected because of how wet and heavy it was.
When it came to Dec. 31, Bergles said that he refused to risk city staff in overnight clearing operations on a night known for excessive drinking and potentially drunken drivers. As a result, curbsides and parkways downtown remained covered with chunks of icy snow – and removal operations didn’t resume until Monday.
“Yes, it could have been done better,” Bergles said, but he also said that he stood behind his employees “100 percent.”
Bergles estimated the storm cost the city just short of $20,000 among the initial cleanup efforts and then snow removal operations following the storm, but in spite of the heavy nature of the snow – and the ice layer as well – city vehicles suffered no damage and there were no accidents.
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Some people just complain about everything. For the most part it was handled very well. Its winter people…who cares if there are some big piles of snow or the curbes take a couple days to clear. Get over yourself and be thankful we have a pretty good operation here.
I would like to thank all of the people helping clear the roads. Mr. Bruezewitz continually complains about things in our community (snow plowing, taxes, and schools). I have no problem with complaints or wanting to try to improve services, but rather than just complaining, please try to offer solutions as well. I would like to see some people like Mr. Bruezewitz go to a meeting and thank the community for what they do and offer rather than just complain.
“But until he threatened a class-action lawsuit on behalf of his business and others, the council remained mostly quiet. ” Completly misleading….The City Council has to follow the state statute for public meetings. The first time Mr Bruesewitz spoke was during citizen comments. This is the time for citizens to voice a concern or an opinion addressing an issue NOT specifically on the agenda. During this time, while any citizen can speak, the Council cannot engage because it is not on the agenda per state statute. The second time Mr Bruesewitz spoke was under an agenda item. It was the item for department heads to update the Council. At that time, Jim updated the Council on the snow removal process….what went right, went wrong and why. Because we were on an agenda item, we could respond to Mr. Bruesewitz. It was the order of the meeting that enabled us to engage in conversation, NOT the threat of a lawsuit.
I apologize, Ruth. I know that, and I was simply trying to communicate the flow of the meeting.
We have incompetent elected officials and administrators. Period. The trucks need to slow down and stop throwing icy street sludge 15 ft onto the sidewalks and yards. It’s the owners’ responsibility to clear the walks of snow that falls from the sky, NOT the foot or more of ice the City continually dumps on them. Why don’t they commit more resources if needed?
There is no mystery. The job is not being done to standard despite any feckless good ol boy cheerleading claims. They don’t care about the elderly or infirm clearing their walks or trying to use them. They care about keeping their staffing and equipment costs low so they can pay themselves huge administrative salaries.
Who would of thought it could snow during the holidays? Who would of thought snow can be wet or heavy? Vote ’em out. Complaining about incompetence is welcome and neighborly – don’t let them tell you otherwise – speak up, you’re not alone, in fact you’re in the majority – they count on your silence.
THEY DID IT AGAIN!! Slow down and stop throwing city street ice onto shoveled sidewalks! Fire Borgles and hire more drivers. Fire Miller!!
Who cares if the plows are going the speed limit when clearing snow. You want them to plow at 10mph? Get real. Who cares that it gets on the sidewalk…the roads are more important than you not wanting to shovel your sidewalk after the plow comes by.
There is no making some people happy. They go hire more staff and more equipment and use more salt…guess what your taxes go up…then you’ll complain we are paying 25k to 50k per snowfall. I really dont think people realize how lucky we have it here.
Travel out west in places that get snow…they barely plow and use almost no salt. The roads are dangerous for days.
Clint’s attitude is a perfect example of how incompetence has taken over government. The job doesn’t get done so the enablers ignore simple solutions and whine over and over and make excuses for their buddies they have connections with. That is why taxes go up. Oh my we are so lucky – kiss, kiss. Get real.
And as a separate matter – to some apparently competent administration is less important than small children walking in the road and the elderly and disabled hurting themselves. Yeah, great priorities, we are so lucky.
Imaginary places? Montana is a real place you know…so is Wyoming, South Dakota and many other places that dont plow or salt at all…or just barely.
At the rate you complain…why dont you just move. There are plenty of other real issues than some snow on the sidewalk.
And no I am not on any city board and no I dont run for an office. We have bigger issues than plow trucks…get over it.
And my wife puts up with me because I dont spend time whining about minor things. I move on and improve on things…I dont waste time and resources complaining about everything in this city. I have lived here 29yrs. Practically born here…I enjoy it and find it a great place to live.
First off…I have no buddies in government. 2nd…again…who cares that the plows go a little fast or it splashes up on your sidewalk. You have this thing called a shovel…use it.
As far as us being lucky…We visit my wife’s family in montana…a city the size of Racine. They neither plow or salt or do any sidewalk work. They let it snow and then send a few garbage trucks with plows on them out. The roads are terrible for days. I inquired as to how they handle snow fall and they frankly just dont care to do much. But here…we have trucks out plowing and salting and most of the roads in this city are in really good shape really fast…but you wanna complain about snow piles by entrances not getting moved or some of the plowing making it to the sidewalk? Get real…
Clint you should run for local office – if youre not already on it. Youd fit right in with your comprehension problems. Lets try one more time. One cannot shovel a foot of ice after a sidewalk has already been cleared, thus the trucks need to slow down to avoid injuries to the disabled old and very young from uncleared sidewalks. The trucks can and must go slower.
These great stories about your wife, Montana, bigfoot, Grizzly Adams, and all sorts of imaginary places have nothing to do with the “get real” world of Wisconsin local high taxes and overpaid administration not doing their jobs. PS Must be one helluva a wife to put up with all your excuses and your happiness to see kids walking through traffic to get to school.
Sounds like the “Board” is making excuses instead of taking responsibility. NO matter how many people are on “VACATION” it proves there wasn’t a back up plan in the event of a snowfall. Though it wasn’t much better in Racine those days, I believe there should have been more effort and accountability. It does beat the ole days when they plowed to the middle of the road and scooped it up w/ a front loader! IMHO! Patience’s Understanding, Planning and Tolerance is needed by all.. If you get to be known as a whiner they stop listening Dale and if the Board can’t take responsibility don’t question why you won’t be elected next term!