Hot talk about snow plowing

Neighbors complain driver knocked down mailboxes

A Towamencin neighborhood is sounding off about the snow plowing, and damages to their mailboxes, during a snowstorm earlier this month.

“During the last snowstorm, our mailbox was damaged, and I believe about 14 other mailboxes on our street were also damaged,” said Karen Maglaty of Michael Way.

She and a half-dozen residents spoke out to the township supervisors during the public comment portion of Wednesday night’s board meeting, saying they saw a plow driver going too fast and appearing to damage mailboxes all along their street.

“I was clearing out my apron of my driveway, and proceeded to throw two shovels full of snow into the street. The snow plow gentleman came down, stopped his car, rolled down his window, and told me that was the stupidest thing he’d ever seen in his entire life,” said Pam Woods, also of Michael Way.

“At that point, I proceeded to see him go down the street, and witnessed him bowling over four mailboxes,” she said.

As the driver left her house, Woods said, she saw the same driver hit her mailbox with part of his truck, then clip two more. Another resident in the same neighborhood even filed a police report after a heated conversation with the same driver, she said.

“I know everyone shares the same or similar feelings: the gentleman was going at a high rate of speed in our neighborhood. Thank goodness no children were playing,” she said.

Township Manager Rob Ford said staff policy is for drivers of plow trucks to report when they know they have hit a mailbox, and for staff to follow up by examining those spots afterward, but to treat residents kindly at all times.

“Every employee should be very respectful of all residents. That should not be acceptable behavior,” Ford said.

The typical snowstorm only results in a handful of damaged mailboxes throughout the township, but Ford said he heard from other municipalities in the area that the March 14 snowstorm caused dozens, if not close to a hundred, of damaged mailboxes, whether due to the weight of accumulated snow or damage from plow drivers.

“Mine got knocked over last year, and I don’t know if it was the height of the snow, or the gauge of the mailbox, but sometimes they get damaged,” he said.

Supervisors’ Chairman Chuck Wilson said Towamencin typically gets compliments from residents about how well the local streets are plowed compared to other municipalities, but the mix of snow, sleet and rain on March 14 may have been particularly problematic.

“Our current policy is, if they’re damaged by the snow thrown off of the plows, we don’t accept responsibility for that,” he said.

“If our truck hits a mail-

box with its plow, or backs into a mailbox with a plow, then we take responsibly for that,” Wilson said. “I think this was kind of a fluke, in a way and I don’t think it represents a lack of effort on the part of our people.”

Ford said the township also fielded complaints from residents on Valley Forge Road, which is owned by the state and plowed by PennDOT contractors instead of township crews, and said he would review the snow plowing situation, particularly on Michael Way, and let the board know if any personnel changes need to be made.

Residents said they were told after calling in their complaints that they would receive an answer from the township within one or two days after the snowstorm. Ford said he held off on sending those out until the

board had a chance to discuss the response, and said one plow driver had to call police after being threatened by a resident while plowing.

“This was a tough storm all over,” Ford said.

Supervisor David Mosesso recognized a different plow driver who was in attendance at the board meeting, and said the crews deserve thanks for working long days to make the local roads safer.

“It’s a very tedious job, and it takes a long time to get it done, and they do it every year, without a complaint,” Mosesso said.

Towamencin’s supervisors next meet at 7:30 p.m. on April 12 at the township administration building, 1090 Troxel Road. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.Towamencin.org.