Own property? Then clear the walks

I am tired of letters from property owners complaining about receiving citations for not clearing the sidewalks on their property. The ordinance is quite clear: Remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk or be prepared to pay the fine. Why should the city show "a bit of restraint" on this?

I walk my dog daily and am appalled by the poor job many homeowners in my neighborhood do of cleaning their sidewalks. If you are going to enjoy the tax benefits of home ownership, be prepared to get out there and clean your sidewalk every time it snows.

-- Brigette Banaszak, Madison

Regarding the March 11 article on the number of people fined for not shoveling, I wish anyone who used the third-grade defense of "mine is no worse than others" would grow up.

As for the property owner who was ticketed multiple times, I'm betting that paying someone to shovel would have cost less than paying the fine. If you don't want to spend the money to have someone shovel, sell the property.

For those who worked all day and didn't want to shovel, well neither did I, but on more than one occasion I shoveled at 2 a.m., because I didn't want to run my snow blower and wake the neighbors after working a 10-plus hour shift. Snow removal laws have been this way forever, so don't be shocked when you're ticketed.

The only people who deserve a break are the elderly or handicapped since they rely on others. And by "break" I mean one extra day to shovel, not an exemption from anything.

The biggest problem isn't the snow, just lazy people with lots of excuses. My father and uncle, both in their 60s, and 89-year-old grandmother have lived in Madison all their lives and have never been fined for snow removal.

-- Matt Karabis, Madison

Focus on the worst offenders

The city of Madison needs to give itself a heavy fine. Berkeley Park has a sidewalk along its entire length that has not been completely shoveled for many weeks. There is so much packed snow and ice on it that it's extremely difficult to walk on safely. I walk my dog every day, and this sidewalk has been like this all winter long.

I called to report the messy sidewalk and was told that all the city park workers were shoveling snow for the city. It's interesting that the city can give excuses for not doing its duty, but city residents are not allowed to provide excuses for not having their walks completely clear of snow and ice.

I recommend that the mayor tell city workers who are doling out these fines that they should focus on the businesses, apartment complexes and home owners who don't even make an attempt to clean their walks. There are several in my area who haven't shoveled their sidewalks for the last three snow storms. Focus on these people, not the ones who are trying to keep up with all the snow we've had this winter.

-- B.J. Metcalf, Madison

Shut up and shovel -- spring is coming

I am tired of the whining from property owners ticketed by the building inspectors. It's not their fault you didn't shovel, sand or salt your sidewalks. Take ownership of your property and do what you need to do. If you don't like that, don't buy property with sidewalks.

I walk at least two hours every day on the Buckeye and Monona Drive area. After weeks of slipping and sliding, I started lodging complaints with the city. Property owners have had more than adequate time to clean up.

I'm not talking about the man on the news who left a couple inches of snow on the edge of his sidewalk, but to the folks who have not done anything since the first snow fall. And to the reader who wrote that he shoveled more than half the sidewalk and can't understand why he got a ticket, what if they plowed only half of your street?

Time to just shut up and shovel -- spring is right around the corner.

-- Carol Edge, Madison

Streets ice-covered; homeowners fined

These tickets are just plain wrong. How about a fair warning? I got mine on St. Valentine's night. We went out for dinner after work (it was snowing) and found the ticket on my door when we came back. And yes, I shoveled the day before.

Why is it the road could be covered in snow and ice, not yet plowed, but someone was walking around giving out tickets while we struggled to keep up with the amount of snow this year?

-- John Masino, Madison

Consider needs of handicapped folks

First people complained about too much snow, then about it being too cold, then about city inspectors unfairly ticketing them for not completely cleaning sidewalks. It's pathetic.

Why haven't these whiners imagined themselves wheelchair-bound and at the mercy of others when moving around? All it takes is one incompletely cleared sidewalk and a handicapped person can't even get to a grocer to buy food, much less walk the dog or visit friends.

Perhaps those folks aren't on every block, but they are out there and they've been all but imprisoned this winter by the lack of consideration and responsibility of others.

Living in the city in civilized society has its own benefits, but it has responsibilities, too. Regarding shoveling, either do it yourself or call for help. There are lots of elderly folks on fixed incomes who don't have the money to pay someone to clean their walks. Yet I've noticed that, while old ladies and gentlemen scrape their sidewalks, it's mostly younger ones who don't seem to be aware it's their responsibility. There is no excuse for them.

And consider that living in each part of the country has its downside. There are hurricanes in Florida, earthquakes in California and snow in Buffalo, N.Y. Our snow is nothing compared with areas affected by lake effect.

So unless you've just come from southern Georgia and have never seen the white stuff, stop crying and get your remaining ice and snow cleaned.

-- Andrew Khitsun, Madison

Tickets are money-makers for Madison

One view not yet shared is the potential reason for the obscene number of citations issued. First, the city does not publicize what the specific criteria are for snow and ice removal. That means you could blow, shovel and salt -- as I did -- and still receive a citation because you cleared a 50-inch width, not the unpublished 60 inches required.

This is a money-maker for the city of Madison. During a winter that is unprecedented for snow fall, that is plain rude. If the city is actually concerned about the sidewalks, they should publish the snow and ice removal requirements in the paper before next winter. I bet more people would comply. However, that would mean less money for the city.

And for all the people who called the city to complain that the sidewalks were not wide enough for dog walking -- get a life! This has been a terrible winter. If you can't navigate your poodle and your self through a sidewalk cleared with good intentions, then stay home.

-- Paul Roherty, Madison