Let's get Plowed!

"Frozen" "let it snow - let it snow" Let it --- gooooooooo away!

As children are still singing the theme to the animated Disney movie let us not forget what our snow covered roads were like recently ......... I swear I saw Elsa in her blue dress and a little snowman pushing out a stuck car this January.

The snow plowing and removal issue is not simply an inconvenience, it is a significant economic development issue as well as a public safety issue!

Butte is not a rich town with many struggling paycheck to paycheck. Chastising a working citizen for not having a 4 x 4 truck with big knobby tires is no way to encourage the working public. When a citizen is working 3 part-time jobs and misses work and gets fired because they are stuck or can't navigate the roads - the snow-laden roads are a direct detractor to the Butte Economy.

As for public safety - the lack of more extensive snow plowing is a critical issue that has threatened human safety and property. On Galena Street this winter the fire department was limited on being able to effectively access an apartment fire. Snow plows had to be brought in order to fully reach the burning building, resulting in precious time wasted, impacting human and structure survival.

" So what is your solution Mr. Chief Executive candidate?" The solution seems obvious to me with public safety being the critical factor. I believe that all paid and volunteer fire departments should be budgeted to purchase 4 wheel drive trucks equipped with snowplows. I am not talking about brand new shiny trucks, but used 4x4s in good condition. These plows would be able to clear the areas in-front of each station as well as make their rounds clearing additional road paths that are not on Butte's primary and secondary snow removal routes. This small fleet of used 4x4s would also be tasked with uncovering Butte's snow covered fire-hydrants, a critical issue in effective firefighting; can't fight the fire is you can't find the hydrant.

It might be nice next winter to give Elsa and Olaf a helping hand. I can see a fleet of bright blue trucks with "Frozen" Disney (with permission) character faces and names on their side doors - Go Olaf - go! "Let's it get Plowed"