Snow-removal issues come early this year

EATONTOWN — Snow removal and politics were uppermost on the minds of residents at the Borough Council meeting Dec. 17.

Joe Carey, of Eaton Place, criticized the snow removal after the Dec. 5-6 storm and complained that some people didn’t shovel their sidewalks in accordance with the law. He particularly noted that the snow had not been removed from the sidewalk along Wyckoff Road in the vicinity of the Meadowbrook senior housing residence on that side of the street.

Carey said he saw an older gentleman, walking in the street because he couldn’t walk on the sidewalk, nearly get hit by a car driven by a woman who obviously was shaken by how close a call they’d had.

He further noted this was on Monday and the storm was Friday and Saturday.

Mayor Gerald J. Tarantolo said that this was right by the borough-owned arboretum and if the borough can’t clear its property, how can it fault homeowners who don’t clear their sidewalks.

"I wasn’t totally pleased with the job public works did," the mayor said, adding he was waiting for an explanation from public works as to whether there were extenuating circumstances .

The mayor explained that the priority is the streets and school stops in shoveling out after a snowfall. Sidewalks, he said, are secondary.

Carey observed that the ordinance says 12 hours and this was four days.

"I’m dancing around your question," Tarantolo said, adding that he would ask Borough Business Administrator Michael L. Trotta to look into it.

— Sherry Conohan