Little Silver Snow Removal Ordinance Dumped

After another impassioned round of public debate, the proposed snow removal ordinance was defeated by a vote of 4-2 at Monday evening.

Councilmen Gilmour, Bitman, Van Winkle and Levine all voted not to adopt the proposed ordinance, with Councilmen O'Hern and Neff dissenting.

The ordinance, which would require residents to shovel their walkways within 24 hours of the cessation of snowfall or face a $200 fine, was written and supported by proponents of public safety concerned over pedestrians walking in the street in the absence of shoveled sidewalks.

Several local children were on hand at the public meeting to voice their concerns about walking to school in the street.

On the other side of the debate, some residents felt the proposed ordinance unfairly shouldered the heavy lifting of digging out Little Silver's walkways on an estimated 25 percent of the propertyowners with sidewalks.

Council President and Acting Mayor Dan Levine offered to table the ordinance for a date in June or July, at which time ad hoc committees could report their findings, but the council opted to make a decision on the matter during the meeting, noting the public's attendance and desire to have the issue resolved and not further tabled.

Mayor Suzanne Castleman was absent from the meeting to be with her ailing husband, to whom the moment of silence preceding the meeting was dedicated.