As one of the hardest winters on record for the area in the past few years slowly but surely makes its way to the end of the season, the plowing of city sidewalks remains a topic of conversation for the Jamestown City Council.

The issue of reminding people of their responsibility to plow the sidewalks in front of their houses was discussed at a previous work session, and was brought up once again during Monday’s voting session. Councilman Bill Reynolds, R-Ward 5, said there have been complaints about people walking in the road because of the condition of sidewalks.

“I don’t blame these people for walking in the roadway, because a lot of sidewalks are not being taken care of,” Reynolds said. “One fellow even suggested the DPW salt and sand the sidewalks, and I thought that’s not going to happen, but a reminder should go out I believe, reminding people that there is a City Code ordinance for taking care of the sidewalks in front of their properties.”

Even with that, Reynolds said it is not going to get everyone off of the streets, but added that he thought there was a section under disorderly conduct for disrupting traffic. He said he thought maybe those walking in the road, disrupting traffic or making it have to slow down or get agitated in any way should be warned and possibly ticketed.

“It’s not a pedestrian right-of-way,” Reynolds said. “They have a right-of-way but they can’t obstruct traffic, is my point. So I’m hopeful that the word will get out and sidewalks will get done and that people will use common sense and walk against traffic and ride with traffic, something we all learn in the third and fourth grade I believe. Hopefully we can manage that without anyone getting hurt or struck or run over.”

Councilman Randy Daversa, R-At Large and chair of the council’s Public Works Committee, said that it has been said that people do not use the sidewalks even when they are plowed by the city, but that he saw some people doing just that earlier that day. Council President Tony Dolce added to that, saying that the city does plow sidewalks when they can get to them, and that he thought they had done a good job on the main streets and around the schools in conjunction with the Jamestown Public Schools to make things as passable as possible.

“We’ve had a rough winter,” Dolce said. “There’s been a lot of snow. They do the best job they can, and we know it’s difficult to get everyone plowing to get their sidewalks done. I know in certain areas people do help each other out. We ask people to be courteous and do their best to try and clear the sidewalks.”

Dolce said the city does work on some of the main street sidewalks when they can as much as possible after they finish the streets. He added that the school system will take care of their own sidewalks in the school areas.

“It’s just a matter of people being as patient as possible,” Dolce said. “Again, be safe and if you have to cross out into the streets be careful and use common sense. It’s difficult when the snow comes down to get it cleaned out in a reasonable period of time. … It’s a lot of work to get the sidewalks clear. We want to be patient with people, we’re not out to get people. Please help your neighbors out.”