Respect feedback

People gripe. It may not be one of our better traits, but it’s a fact of life.
The issue drawing the ire of many residents these days, of course, has been the town’s snow removal efforts in the wake of the back-to-back blizzards that dumped more than a foot of snow on us just before New Year’s. And if it wasn’t that, the grumbling would be over bag tags, “blue boxes,” user fees, sewer and water rates, property taxes, the doctor shortage, or the likes.
Sometimes the grousing is unfair—and perhaps even wildly inaccurate. And it’s understandable that frustration may boil over among town council and administration, who inevitably are the target of the complaints, whether it’s a late-night phone call at home, being confronted while out shopping, or, yes, reading a stinging editorial in the local newspaper.
At the end of the day, however, the Civic Centre should be welcoming any and all public feedback, not shrugging it off or, worse, belittling it—as Coun. Ken Perry did in his response this week to a letter from Christine Hampton the previous week bemoaning the very real challenge people, particularly seniors, face trying to get over the snowbanks lining the downtown core after a major snowstorm.
Mrs. Hampton’s suggestion that snow be piled in the middle of Scott Street, rather than along the curbs, may not be feasible given its designation as a “connecting link” for Highway 11 (as Coun. Perry pointed out). But his response was dripping with sarcasm, and he basically told anyone whining about snow removal to zip it and instead be grateful for the service we do have. Or, at the very least, just be patient because it will all melt in the spring.
Sure.
True, residents have to realize the town can’t possibly clear all the streets, back lanes, and sidewalks within a day of a big storm—let alone two in two days. But the lingering snow has left legitimate safety concerns, both for drivers dealing with reduced visibility at intersections and for children walking to and from school (as Tracy Roen cited in her letter this week).
And taxpayers, who are footing the bill for snow removal, have a right to question why it took a week for the town to decide the situation warranted extra help.
It’s not that Fort Frances does a terrible job at snow removal, and certainly no one is questioning the efforts and skills of those tasked with doing the job each winter. But given our climate, snow removal is a crucial municipal service which residents feel strongly about. As such, their criticisms always should be treated with respect—along with their suggestions or input on how to make the system better.
That, after all, is the crux of effective municipal government.