I agree with you! I just walked down Buffum st. and people near the small park need to salt the sidewalk! my poor dog looked like a cartoon dog trying to walk but going no where, some stretches of sidewalk are a 1/2 inch thick of ice. "If someone falls? The homeowner will get sued because its up to them to clear the walkway not the city in front of your home. "

perhaps you could supply us with a list of just how many households in the surrounding towns have been fined for not clearing their sidewalks in the last say....24 months???? You say the "surrounding cities fine their residents for not clearing walks" so please show us the numbers...Perhaps you would also like to share your address so we can check on your walk throughout the winter....negative negative negative....It's winter.....it's a city full of slum lords, absentee landlords, low income units where no one gives a rip....In the Buffum street area you can't leave a package on your porch....you really think everyone is going to go out and clear the walks???? It's not like the old days...in general people don't care! For 10 years my husband has been out with the snow blower each and every storm....clearing the side walks for a block in each direction from our house...what has he received for that.....one woman who parked illegally for years complained if the snow blower happened to blow one poof of snow on her car....really???? so you are damned if you do and damned if you don't!

Totally agree with you! It's difficult for me to walk down Lafayette street from my house to the library, or museum (two of our favorite places!) with my son. Wish there were more action taken about this.
Beth from www.connectshore.com.

Does anyone know who we can email at the City to complain about ice/snow covered sidewalks? The city's 'snow brochure' doesn't say who is doing the fining/enforcement.

I can't tell you how many times I've fallen on the corner of Daniels and Essex...the drain spouts go right from the house and it provides an ice rink to attempt to walk over. We always clean our sidewalks leaving a path (and we salt) but its so frustrating (and extremely dangerous) that i have to walk on Essex street because the sidewalks are not cleared or too dangerous due to ice...They need to do something about protecting the citizens of Salem who walk daily with no other options (because I now cannot park at the Commuter Rail station due to lack of parking spaces).

Seems like the Councillor's don't give a hoot. Otherwise one of them would have posted here a response. Oh, I forgot, elections are over.Just saying.

Most all of my neighbors & I had cleared our sidewalks last weekend. The street on the other hand never saw any sand/salt and even with the "warmer" weather is still covered with ice.

The empty gas station on North St NEVER clears the side walk nor does 7-11.

It's like this all over Salem. Last storm during the parking ban, cars were parked on the sidewalk as well as street and plows couldn't do a good job on Becket St. No tickets or tows. Why put a ban on and then don't enforce it on these idiots that don't obey it and make it hard for us that do. They are the same people who don't shovel there sidewalks.

I will preface this by acknowledging that I clean the sidewalk in front of my home and clean it from snow for its full width. However, who's sidewalk is it? It's not mine, it's the city's. If the sidewalk is in need of repair who fixes it - the city. If a sewer or water line breaks the city will repair the line up to the house side of the sidewalk. Therefore, why is a person subject to sanctions for not removing snow from property he or she doesn't own?

If it's the city's sidewalk then why can you be sued if I fall on it and crack my backsides? Also it's time more people start being nieghborly and kind to there nieghbors and shovel so they don't fall. Unfortunatly, most people don't even know there nieghbors names anymore.

Chris if you want to put in a complaint it is the Director of public properties (Building inspector) you have to contact, i know this issue to well and have been fighting it since before 2000, and it's not just the side walks that are at issue here, what about morons pushing snow into the streets from their drive ways and parking lots, this takes parking away and makes it hard for emergency vehicles to pass remember every second counts, plus i have shoveled the fire hydrant in front of my house for over the last 50 years, it is very important that we do our part as neighbors to have a more enjoyable neighborhood and city, and one more very important thing here how about our senior who may live next door, some can't shovel because of their age my neighbors and i see to it that they are taken care of they can't afford to be fined they have to think of all the cost they have just to get by and we love helping them it really makes us feel really good too! just a thought!
Leo :)

I was very surprised that the sidewalks here were not cleared of snow and ice. We just moved from N.Y where the snow removal laws are very strictly enforced. The sidewalk must be cleared four hours after the snow stops or a fine is issued. I once had my walk cleared but the temperature warmed overnight and some snow melted and refroze the next morning so there were a few icy patches. Before I could get someone to clear it I had a hundred dollar ticket in my mailbox. The city makes a lot of money fining for snow and litter. I just read that the fine here is only $25.00, perhaps it needs to be raised? I hate being house bound because inconsiderate people don't clear the sidewalks. My other complaint is the amount of dog poop that's not picked up by irresponsible owners but that be fodder for another blog.

I'm just happy it's going to warm up. The sun and above-average temps will take care of the remaining ice. However, i dread the next snow storm. Wish someone in City Hall would take note of this blog!!