As a taxpayer in the City of Vernon, I find it very sad that the city would put an article in the paper as it did Jan. 12 — “Residents responsible for sidewalks.”
It starts off with, “The City of Vernon is reminding residents that we all have a part to play in ensuring the safety of roads and sidewalks, particularly when winter weather crosses icy conditions. Shovel snow and remove ice from sidewalks and footpaths bordering your property.”
My issue is, who is responsible for cleaning the bus stops in the city?
When the streets are plowed, the snow is pushed into the curbs, creating an unsafe and dangerous situation.
There is no plowing of the street so the bus can enter the stop and safely load or unload passengers. There is no cleaning of the bus stop area itself so passengers are not fearful of slipping or falling on the ice buildup created by the plowing of the streets or just by the accumulation of snow itself.
It may be possible that our city administrators do not realize there are elderly citizens, disabled citizens with walkers, wheelchairs and other mobility issues, blind citizens and families with strollers and young children in tow, who depend on the transit service to get them about safely.
If any able-bodied citizen has a difficulty at these uncared for stops, think how it is for everyone else.
As a citizen, I am reminding the city that it also has a part to play in ensuring the safety of all of our citizens by completing the task at hand and making it safe for those people who rely on transit in this city.
To the people in charge, please do not continue to follow the do as I say, not as I do syndrome, but lead by example.
Michael McVeigh
Vernon
