Safety Paths Back on Agenda - Winter Maintenance Proposed

Hi All,
UPDATE:  10-27-14   The Board of Trustees listened to  a variety of comments and received information from the township as to costs/liability/ etc.  and the result was that NO MOTION was made on the winter maintenance issue.  Therefore, there will be no contract going out for bids.  The issue is over... for this winter, at least.   You can see and hear the meeting at this link when posted.

Agenda item #6 at the 10/27/14 Board of Trustees meeting:


 

I do NOT want this winter maintenance approved. 
Once winter maintenance has begun... it can not be ended...and must continue being performed ...as long as the paths exist..... according to what I heard... at a study session meeting.  Most likely with forever INCREASING costs.

• Please send a "NO winter maintenance" message to the board of trustees.... ASAP
• Please forward my blog link to others in the township. Find the articles you want to read in my archived list.   Thank you.  Marcia

Well, here is the WINTER MAINTENANCE  issue, not in a study session, but on the agenda. 

• That means to me, that a behind the scenes decision has already been made and that the township is going through the motions necessary to make it "legal".   
• As in most bid spec proposals by the township, there seems to be something in writing that severely limits WHO will win the bid.  I suspect this time it is the line that says:  "A minimum of 5 years in the business of clearing snow from safety paths or sidewalks."   means that a specific contractor is already identified.  
•  I would think that approving  winter maintenance will create a FOREVER need by the township to collect a safety path millage and a forever risk of  "...significant legal ramifications..."  with potential lawsuits. 
• One of the issues that 8/6/13 letter presented was how DIFFICULT it would be to maintain the paths in winter: read below

"Critical Areas and Unique Problems"                                                                         
"There are several areas where motorized equipment cannot be used due to steep grades, walls, fences and very tight spaces; Long Lake and Lahser is one example where the grade, walls and curves in the path would prevent the use of equipment.  This would require hand shoveling and a great exposure to injury."                                                                                                          

"The RCOC will be plowing shoulders on roads along the safety paths after they are cleared.  When this is done, very heavy wet snow is pushed onto the paths making it very difficult to remove, or once it freezes, thick ice.  This will create a second snow removal process for the safety paths that is not a part of this estimate."                                                                         

"Large snow falls will put the small equipment in a position of not being usable to clear the paths."


Here is the Proposed Contract to put out for bids NOW with winter maintenance beginning on January 1, 2015.  Your safety path millage approval put to a new use...do you want it? I say NO!

• READ THIS CAREFULLY
• CAN THIS CONTRACT ACTUALLY BE MET?   AT WHAT COST?
• Notice what the proposed contract says about YOUR driveway and sidewalk connection.
• IF not outsourced each year,  then Township employees and their related salaries/health benefits/pension would apply....because the winter maintenance may not end once started.
• A yes decision to go ahead with winter maintenance will be very costly to perform and potentially very costly as related to accidents and liability.  

The issue of the millage and maintenance and LIABILITY:

• While the millage does provide for  "maintenance".... since 1998 there has been NO "Winter" maintenance.

• Why? Read this 1998 letter from the Township attorney:

 


And...for those of you wondering what you voted for at the August 2014 safety path millage:

• A map of the township safety paths is too large for my blog format, but can be found on the township website if you follow:  Board of Trustees/Board Packet/2014/ October 27, 2014

• Here is the LIST of what the township still plans for NEW safety paths. This list is also found at the above website.   This information was NOT available before you voted in August: