Fine increases to $50 a day under proposed snow ordinance

RED OAK — Residents who fail to remove snow from their sidewalks will be fined up to $50 a day under a new ordinance under consideration by the Red Oak City council.
Upon the request of Council Member Larry Brandstetter, the existing ordinance, which includes just a $10 fine, was reviewed at last week’s meeting.
After several heavy snows last winter, the Council agreed to not enforce the existing ordinance last year, with the goal of discussing and possibly revising it before this winter.
Brandstetter has said the current ordinance simply lacks the needed penalty to make sure it is followed.
“I’m more concerned with getting the snow off and a penalty that works, and I don’t think a $10 penalty works,” Brandstetter said. “We’ve just given people more time to remove the snow … but if they don’t, we’ve increased the fine.”
Under the current ordinance, residents have 12 hours to remove snow from the sidewalks after the storm ends, or they can receive a warning. Failure to remove the snow within 12 hours after that can result in the $10 fine.
Under the new ordinance, residents receive 24 hours to remove the snow before a warning is issue, and 24 more before the $50 fine is levied.
An additional $50 fine can be issued each additional day the sidewalks remain snow-covered.
Brandstetter originally proposed a $100 fine for the first day, and $50 each day after, but the Council and City Administrator Brad Wright agreed that might be excessive.
In fact, Council Member Ivan Craig wondered if $50 wasn’t too much.
“The only ones I’m concerned about are the ones who can’t physically do it, and can’t afford to pay the fine,” he said.
The Council agreed to discuss the proposed ordinance again at a future meeting.
Also at the meeting, the Council:
Voted to close the streets around the downtown square on Friday, Nov. 26, for the Red Oak Chamber and Industrial Association’s 2010 “Think! Holidays in Red Oak” festivities.
Agreed to install a street light, at the cost of $1,245, on Chautaqua Drive.
Discussed the pending demolition of buildings in the 200 block of Coolbaugh Street. City Administrator Brad Wright reported demolition would begin sometime in the next couple weeks.