By JOHN EBY
Dowagiac Daily News

With snow removal resources spent, Mayor Pro Tem Leon Laylin recommends an old-fashioned “good neighbor policy” to clear sidewalks.

“On several community blocks you have people with snow blowers and so on mixed with people who can’t move snow, like the lady who told Chuck (Burling, the other Third Ward councilman) if we passed a law they had to clean the sidewalks, he’d have to do it for her because she couldn’t do it.”

“In this regard – and it’s been discussed lightly, at least,” Laylin continued, “in the future, we might consider contracting so people who don’t have the ability to move snow could depend on a firm that could and be invoiced for the cost. I don’t have any idea how that would be worked out. It’s something to kick around.”

“In lieu of direction from the council,” Laylin added Monday night, “it would be my request to the community that we enact a good neighbor policy and help those who can’t. Just be a good neighbor. That’s not just snow removal, but picking up litter and keeping your dooryards clean. Be responsible for your whole neighborhood and not just your own property. It comes back to do for others as you would like to have done for yourself. We need to take responsibility for taking care of each other where we need to.”

Dr. Burling added, “I definitely heard about the snow plowing this morning. I very candidly told them to deal with it, there wasn’t money to have all of the streets plowed on the schedule we had done in the past.

“Across the board, people were very receptive. I think citizens understand we’re trying to do the best we can with what we have. I think if we continue to use common sense, we’ll be fine. Leon’s point is excellent.”

Second Ward Councilman Jim Dodd agreed with Laylin.

Dodd also praised the Band Boosters’ spaghetti dinner Friday night at the middle school featuring student performers. “It was very entertaining,” he said. “They do a good job.”
Second Ward Councilman Bob Schuur made the motion for the council to adjourn to closed session to meet with City Manager Kevin Anderson and Assistant City Attorney Roosevelt Thomas to discuss negotiations related to purchase of real property.
First Ward Councilwoman Lori Hunt was absent.