Former Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen on the good, bad and kind people and comments after a big snowstorm
During 15 years in municipal government, I grew to enjoy the drama generated by snow-removal efforts.
Sometimes it seemed as though the storms triggered hysteria. Citizen calls were often good for a chuckle, occasionally actually helpful, and in rare occasions implicitly threatening.
Though most just accepted things, many thought they had a better plan. Very few had an understanding of the dynamics at play. Nonetheless, one could count on complaint calls flooding in every time.
Some basic stipulations:
1. Every mayor hears from residents who are convinced their local snow-removal efforts are the worst of any city, anywhere. We shared similar stories.
2. Larger cities in South Dakota learn from each other and from out-of-state towns and all do the work reasonably well if not very well.
3. Public works folks (as seen in the above photo from the Aberdeen public works dept.) in Aberdeen routinely clear all the streets, parking lots, and haul away snow from downtown in 24-36 hours — similar to cities everywhere.
4. Giant storms, snowfall that doesn’t end, and high winds can disrupt plowing schedules. Knowing when to start the process is a challenge.
5. It's a tough call to ticket and tow cars not removed from the streets — it hits low-income people more than others. It sometimes has to be done.
Snowstorms bring out the worst in some people, the best in others.
The worst?
Every time a storm hits, some just get crazy. They take it personally after clearing sidewalks, then seeing the plows push the snow back, even deeper. One instance even involved a member of our local “well-regulated militia” threatening a plow operator. Others get on the phone and call city hall just wanting to yell at someone. Unreasonable impatience doesn’t even begin to describe it.
Some homeowners really blow up when driveways are blocked by the plows. A few cities have tried to fix that with gates on the plows but that slows the process, doesn’t work well with larger storms, and costs taxpayers big dollars.
Why should those who can’t afford a home with a driveway pay for this special service for wealthier residents? This is a responsibility of homeownership. If you can’t physically do it, hire someone.
Even a few inches get some folks grumpy. Years ago, the objective was simple — have drivers able to get where they needed to go. That has changed. For many now, the standard is to never have to drive in any snow, ever. They feel entitled to travel on only cleared roads and view having to negotiate 3 or 4 inches a municipal failure.
Downtown retailers sometimes choose to ignore the uniqueness of their situation due to having to close everything down, clean around islands, clear the deep sidewalks, and haul it all away. It has to be overnight, or make everyone else in the city wait.
And, we have a problem with some who are just not alert enough or smart enough to slow down when it’s icy blame the city if their dumb driving has a bad outcome.
The best?
The plow drivers and public works staff. The work is a combination of city crews and private operators. They have long shifts, requiring expert skills. Drivers are sometimes kept away from family holidays and special events.
Neighbors helping neighbors. Some who are really helpful (and proud of their snowblowers) do entire blocks, others make sure to help seniors who need it. We see demonstrations of unselfish good will after the plows have passed and people are sharing a common experience. Most everyone seems to be in good spirits in the days after a big storm.
All in all, citizens should appreciate the challenges involved, have patience, and recognize where we are living.
Please give your operator a kind wave as the plow passes.
Mike Levsen is a former mayor of Aberdeen and a regular contributor to The South Dakota Standard.
