The Politics Of Snow Removal
By Carrié Solages
Article XII, section 1205 of Nassau County Charter makes it clear – “It shall be the duty of the county Department of Public Works as a county charge to remove snow as rapidly as may be from all county highways and county roads within or without any city or village.”
So too does Chapter 67, section 3 of Hempstead Town Code – “The Superintendent of Highways shall be responsible for the removal of snow from any and all specified areas, together with all Town parking fields, and shall have the right, subject to the approval of and financing by the Town Board, to hire personnel for such purposes and to provide for the supervision of such personnel.”
The directive is clear and straightforward, but as we know all too well in a hyper partisan age of government, its execution is not always that simple.
After a Jan. 24-25 winter storm dumped nearly a foot of snow, sleet and ice on our region, I took to the roads of Legislative District 3, and I saw a significant difference in how Town of Hempstead roads were plowed. Take a look at the videos on my social media pages, and you’ll see how Franklin Square’s roads were cleared more promptly than comparable residential roads in Elmont.
These communities pay taxes to the same township for the same services. Their roads aren’t just used by Democrats or Republicans – they’re roads everybody relies on. So, why was there such a noticeable disparity in services?
Then there is the example of the Woodfield Road overpass for the Southern State Parkway, an essential County road serving the communities of Lakeview and West Hempstead. Five days after the storm, an adjoining sidewalk remained untouched, forcing pedestrians to walk in the heavily traveled main road. With icy conditions directly adjoining, people were literally taking their lives into their hands every time they walked this path.
Again, Lakeview and West Hempstead taxpayers send their payments to the same County as other areas that were better served. Democrats and Republicans use this road and rely on the sidewalks to cross the overpass. What, then, is the common thread?
Snow removal should never be political, but in this case, I cannot overlook the fact that the areas in District 3 which seemed to be neglected are bases of Democratic registration – and the areas that were cleared faster are in areas of traditional Republican strength. At present, the Hempstead Town Board is controlled by a 6-1 Republican supermajority, and the County’s government is dominated by County Executive Bruce Blakeman, whose hyper partisan approach to governance is well documented.
Faced with urgent needs, I felt there was no choice but to take matters into my own hands. I used my social media platforms to call out the Town of Hempstead’s inaction, communicate with constituents to identify trouble areas, and demand an equitable, prompt response from the Town. In Lakeview, with traffic control assistance from the Auxiliary Police, I joined a group of volunteers in clearing the Woodfield Road walkway. Public shame seemed to do the trick in this case – the next day, Blakeman dispatched County DPW resources to Woodfield Road at long last and fully cleared the sidewalk.
Let me be clear – I do not fault the hardworking men and women at the Town and County’s DPWs who toiled day and night to clear the snow after this major winter storm. Their efforts are deeply appreciated, and their hard work must not go unnoticed. I just wish that, for residents in every corner of our town, there was more thorough preparation so that their skills could be better deployed by their superiors and the elected officials who are ultimately responsible for results.
We are in a “La Niña” cycle, and that means bitter cold and significant snow will likely be with us for the remainder of this winter season. It is incumbent upon all of us to apply the lessons we learned during this initial winter storm toward achieving better results for all of Nassau County’s communities – and taking the politics out of the delivery of this most basic and essential service.
Carrié Solages, of Valley Stream, has represented the communities of Nassau County’s Third Legislative District since 2012.