[Vision2020] PR - Citizen Sidewalk Maintenance

[Donovan Arnold]

Saundra,
 
You shouldn't be beating live horses either, seems cruel.  :P In fact, you shouldn't be beating anything unless it is a dirty rug hanging from a clothesline. 
 
I don't have objections to laws, just unfair laws. A law that makes no accommodations for those that may have a disability, is a bad law.
 
The ADA was designed to make sure all citizens are treated equally and fairly regardless of disability. When it is ignored and stepped on by local lawmakers that refuse to make accommodations, and make laws only for the majority, with willful disregard for those with a disability or in a different situation, I will complain. 
 
In terms of transportation needs for those with a disability, they can get public transport, so they are not, or should not be walking around on icy streets and sidewalks. Those that can walk, should walk, and not complain about snow in the winter, they should like it, and enjoy it, or move to Arizona. 
 
The fact that we have to depend on volunteers to fill in where our city lacks concern for the elderly and those with disabilities, is ironic.  
 
Ronald Reagan cut welfare assistance to disabled veterans, but he also cut them a check personally. He thought too, that the US could run on the charity of others instead of public funding. 
 
The city requiring the elderly and those with disabilities to remove the snow off of city property under threat of being fined and charged with a misdemeanor, seems harsh and cruel in my opinion. 
 
Best Regards,
 
Donovan

--- On Thu, 1/22/09, Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net> wrote:

From: Saundra Lund <sslund_2007 at verizon.net>
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] PR - Citizen Sidewalk Maintenance
To: donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com, "'v2020'" <vision2020 at moscow.com>
Cc: "'Matt Decker'" <mattd2107 at hotmail.com>
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2009, 5:24 PM








Donovan,
 
Quit beating a dead horse.  As I’ve pointed out before, the dangerous sidewalks I’ve seen are NOT in front of residences owned by the elderly or disabled, so I don’t know why you keep trying to focus the discussion on that.  There are, no doubt, exceptions, but the many elderly & disabled I know are managing to keep their sidewalks cleared because they -- perhaps more than the rest of us -- live with the knowledge each & every day that a fall can be fatal for those with fragile health.
 
It’s actually something to be proud of that our community has many silent angels who routinely shovel sidewalks for their elderly or disabled neighbors.  Matt has shared with us that he’s one of those silent angels, and I again offer my thanks to him – and to all those like him, and I know quite a few – who are helping our elderly & disabled community members keep their sidewalks safer for all of us!  Perhaps that’s the reason requests have gone down this winter as Matt share – people are doing a good job of helping those who are genuinely unable to do the shoveling themselves.  
 
No, those sidewalks aren’t the problem . . . it’s all the other uncleared sidewalks that are a problem, so how about sticking to that issue?
 
As has been pointed out to you several times, our local ordinance requires property owners to clear those sidewalks.  You don’t seem to like that idea, yet you also don’t like the idea of the cost (read: increased taxes) of the City getting rid of the ordinance and taking on the job itself.
 
So, what’s your solution?  Just allowing life to continue only for the hardiest of us during winter months?  Everyone else – including the elderly & disabled you profess to care so much about – should just stay the heck home so that no one has to shovel?
 
Part of living where it snows is shoveling or making other arrangements, for Pete’s sake, so instead of you telling everyone who expects us all to be responsible community members to move to California, how about people just living up to the responsibility of living where it snows!  Sheesh . . .  
 
 
 
Saundra Lund
Moscow, ID
 
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing.
~ Edmund Burke
 
***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2008 through life plus 70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the author.*****
 

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Donovan Arnold
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 6:17 PM
To: v2020; Stephanie Kalasz
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] PR - Citizen Sidewalk Maintenance
 




And if you have a disability that prevents you from shoveling the city property next to your property, too bad, the city council still requires you to get out in your wheelchair and shovel away.  The shovel police are coming to a sidewalk near you! 
 
Best Regards,
 
Donovan


      
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