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Some city of Smithville leaders have said they’d like city residents to be more aware of the city’s snow and ic removal policy. The following is the city’s policy.

Introduction

The following policies and procedures serve as a practical guide for the cost effective snow and ice control in the city of Smithville.

Monitoring and Notification of Ice/Snow Events

During working hours the observation of the public works crews or police may trigger the first crew response. During off duty hours, police officers may direct the police dispatcher to initiate the first crew response. Resources permitting, first crew response will be two dump trucks and two pickups with material spreaders. Additional crews or a change in crews may occur as the actual snow removal begins.

Weather reports will be monitored by police and public works personnel when inclement weather is approaching. The use of radios, TV and National Weather Service radio may be used in conjunction with the street observations to determine notification timing.

News media notification of road conditions will be made by the police department.

Priorities

Since it is not economically feasible to remove all snow accumulation from every street, a priority system will be implemented based on public need. The four priorities for snow control activities are:

Priority 1: All main roads considered to be the minimum network which must be kept open for emergency vehicles.

Priority 2: All remaining arterials, selected collectors, bus routes and streets around schools.

Priority 3: All other selected collectors completing the network covering major traffic volume streets and selected “hot spots” such as intersections and hills.

Priority 4: All remaining streets such as residential and local streets.

Commencing Snowplow Operations

The following four storm categories are developed to determine when and how much snow and ice control is warranted.

Category 1: Two inches or less of snow resulting in icy conditions. All snow routes rated priority 1 to 3 are treated with deicing material.

Category 2: Two to three inches of snow resulting in sleet and slushy conditions. All snow routes rated 1 to 4 are plowed and treated with deicing material.

Category 3: Three inches or more with wind causing blizzard conditions. All snow routes are plowed, treated with deicing material until the storm subsides. Then routes rated priority 1 to 4 are treated with deicing material and plowed if necessary.

Category 4: A major snow storm amounting to four inches or more. Concentration is given to all snow routes and emergency facilities. Collectors, bus routes and around schools are plowed and treated with deicing materials. Residential streets are treated and plowed at the discretion of the director of public works or designated employee.

Emergencies

It may be possible for emergencies to arise that will affect the deployment of snow removal forces. Some of the foreseeable emergencies include:

1. Immediate need for police, fire and rescue assistance. If city personnel asking for assistance must leave the public right-of-way to respond to an emergency, snow removal crews will provide necessary assistance such as opening a driveway or parking lot to give access to the emergency crews.

2. Isolated problem areas where traction is urgently needed before all other areas are handled. The police department may only advise of road conditions and shall not direct snow and ice operations of the public works department.

3. Icy conditions where a waterline break has occurred.

Deicing Material Spreading

Conditions may warrant the application of sand or salt or a mixture thereof. Temperature conditions may also warrant the addition of Liquid Calcium Chloride or Magnesium Chloride to any such mixture in order to obtain the desire action from the application of a salt mixture. Application will follow the same priorities established for snow removal.

Materials will be applied on priority streets. Other streets will have material spread only at intersections, hills and curves. Materials on those streets may also be applied at spot locations to allow tracking and clearing of the streets, rather than uniformly.

Joint Jurisdiction

The following jurisdictions are responsible or share responsibility with the city for the following boundary streets:

The city of Smithville shall maintain (approx. 5.060 miles)

1. West Martin Road

2. Second Creek Road

3. Lowman Road

4. Amory Road

5. North Virginia (southern portion)

6. Tillman Road

7. Wise Road

Clay County shall maintain (approx 5.520 miles)

1. Northwest 134th Street

2. Cliff Shepherd Road

3. North Virginia (northern portion)

4. Northeast 180th Street

5. Paradise Road (Northeast 188th)

Driveways/Private Property Plowing

City snowplows will not clear private driveways or private property, such as parking lots, except for:

1. Smithville School District (One lane ingress and egress)

2. Smithville Area Fire Protection District

3. Emergencies as previously stated

The removal of snow placed in driveways or on sidewalks by city plows is the responsibility of the property owner. Annual efforts will be made to educate the public in the proper removal of snow off of private driveways and sidewalks that will reduce the amount of snow that the City will plow onto these facilities.

Complaint Procedures

All emergency complaints will be forwarded to the department and may be handled by the supervisor, crew leader on duty or the director of public works.

Reports

A storm record shall be completed for each snow removal operation. This record should contain operating times, weather conditions, resources committed and results.

Disclaimer

To the extent that any previous rule, regulation, policy, or past practice, written or unwritten, is in conflict with the provisions of this policy, such is hereby withdrawn, voided and all personnel should conduct themselves in conformity with this policy.

This policy is not intended to create any duty to any individual member of the public or to protect any particular circumscribed class of persons. All or parts of this policy may be affected by at least one or more of the following which will delay all or some of the services provided.

1. Equipment breakdown.

2. Vehicles disabled in deep snow.

3. Weather so severe as to cause crews to be called in from the streets.

4. Equipment rendered inadequate by the depth of snow or drifts.

5. Crew breaks and breaks required for refueling, refilling of material spreaders and installing chains and new blades.

6. Unforeseen conditions and emergencies.

Sidewalks — city owned

Walks under the control of city crews are to be cleaned and treated with icemelt as needed within 24 hours after the storm or drifting has ceased.

Heritage Park and other walking trails will be considered the lowest priority and will only be cleaned as time and staffing allows.

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