Snow Jobs Take Toll on City Crews

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Going back to the Sick Chicken for a minute, my wife has asked for a new portable AM/FM radio. The old one is a bit battered now. I stopped in at the Best Buy at lunch today, and at first I couldn’t even find the “radio aisle”. When it was pointed out to me, I was kind of shocked. There was nothing there that was just a nice AC + battery portable radio. There were some clock-radios, and a couple of Walk-man type things. Everything else was some kind of i-pod dock. Guy there said maybe try Target!!
ebtnut - January 07, 2010

EBTNUT: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/spcialty.html

Satisfied Universal Radio customer here.
Webmaster - January 07, 2010

Snow Jobs Take Toll on City….intended pun or Freudian slip?
Adam - January 07, 2010

Adam, Adam, Adam. ;)

I try to write a punny headline, and I get accused of taking shots. You would prefer, perhaps, a nice, boring headline?

No offense was intended at Mr. Shermenti or anyone in the city DPW.
Webmaster - January 08, 2010

Would it be too much to ask City Council to detail what, exactly, 700 hours of overtime has gotten us?

Each morning that I’ve had to drive to work during these storms, the road conditions are terrible. I have yet to see a sidewalk shoveled, which means that anyone walking down Versailles Avenue, Coursin Street, and the downtown routes is doing so IN the street.

One gripe, in particular, is with the police presence. At least 3 times this week alone, between the hours of 7am-8am, there is at least one police vehicle (always the van and usually another squad car) idling in the middle of the parking lot behind the fire station. They’re not in any position to watch for traffic accidents on either adjacent road. In fact, if I wanted my vehicle to stay hidden from traffic, they’re in a pretty good place for it.

I know that it’s easy to complain, and I’m sure that someone will manage to come up with a valid reason for doing so, but a city that claims to be so “stretched thin” with regards to police coverage should be more cognizant of their (paid, I might add) officers spending the time during morning rush hour socializing in a parking lot behind the baseball field.
John - January 08, 2010

Hate to Complain but they sure didn’t wear out the salt spreaders at all in the 7th ward…....
Cox's Jimmy - January 08, 2010

John: Sidewalks are the responsibility of the property owner. In fact, there’s a city ordinance requiring sidewalks to be shoveled within 24 hours of a storm. Call city hall —- 412-675-5020 —- and ask for the ordinance officer.

For people who live in surrounding boroughs or townships, there are also snow removal ordinances. Look in the blue pages and call your municipal building.

Jimmy: Which streets are looking lousy? Your friendly neighborhood editor would like to see.

For that matter, Mr. Shermenti gave his phone number. Call him up.
Webmaster - January 08, 2010

I’m sorry, but a call to the ordinance officer? I’m sure they will be right on it. I have called and emailed them in the past (I’ll admit not lately)with no response. My # 1 complaint? St Mary’s cemetary in Grandview. Their sidewalk is never, maintained, not in the winter is it shoveled, ever, at all, not in in the summer is the grass kept from overgrowing it. I cant tell you haw many times I have almost hit one of these people in a motorized wheelchair or someone walking a dog becuase they cant use the sidewalk. And I cant tell you the last time I went down Grandview Avenue (which I do at least twice a day) that I did not see someone walking somewhere. This is one of the busiest streets for pedestrians in the city. The St Mary’s Cemetary property hasn’t had to pay taxes for 60 years, they could at least keep the sidewalks in decent shape. Maybe we need to seek funding for some type of “Main street” program so they can install a new sidewalk down Grandview and maybe a couple blue benches that say McKeesport on them. Oops we already did that, just in the wrong place. Now that I think about it, has anyone shoveled that new sidewalk in Christy Park this week? I hope so, it is sooooo busy with people walking to..ummm..well it doesn’t really go anywhere does it?
Adam - January 09, 2010

Adam:

Point taken.
Webmaster - January 09, 2010

Just a follow up, I need to apologize. The sidewalk in Christy Park seems to be getting a fair amount of foot traffic. I drove by it today and was surprised. How could I tell there was a good amount of foot traffic you ask? Oh that was becuase the sidewalk was never shoveled! Also, I drove through town and was amazed how many properties the sidealk was not shoveled. Take the people’s Building, for example, it was not touched. Perhaps if the city would like to add to its coffers they should hold all these property owners accountable. They could be fined by the linear foot. Also, it was interesting to see how many in-business businesses did not have their sidewalks done either. Shame on you.
Adam - January 13, 2010

Hrm. I was just going to write that the Golden Highway of Hope/Christy Park Sidewalk To Nowhere hadn’t been shoveled yet. Damn you, Adam, for beating me to the punch.
John - January 13, 2010