Image Credit: Kent Simmonds / CFJC Today

By Dylana Kneeshaw

SNOW CLEARING FRUSTRATIONS

City urging patience after inappropriate behaviour, calls directed at Civic Operations staff

Jan 12, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — The City of Kamloops is urging patience, as some residents have been taking their weather-related frustrations out on Civic Operations staff and truck operators.

Snowfall began on Monday (Jan. 8) and continued off and on throughout the week — paired with extreme temperature drops and icy conditions.

Plows and sanding trucks have been working 24/7 but Streets and Environmental Services Manager Glen Farrow says some of the behaviour and phone calls directed toward both drivers and office staff have gone too far.

“Our drivers are often approached in the field with a shovel, not (hearing) different comments that are made. We really encourage residents to give our operators the time and space to do the work that they need to do,” explained Farrow. “It’s really unsafe to approach our equipment as we’re doing that work so we’re just asking that they be respectful and let the operators do the work that they need to do.”

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Along with icy roads, this week Civic Operations crews are contending with the freezing temperatures and keeping their equipment running efficiently.

“Anytime the first event of the year plus the colder temperatures, there’s always equipment failures, breakdown. We’re working closely with our mechanical shop to get equipment back out into the field as quickly as we can,” says Farrow, adding, “It’s always a challenge, only it’s elevated when we look at the first (snow) event and colder temperatures.”

Farrow says the city has plenty of information online explaining how and why plow and sanding operations are carried out the way they are. For example, which roads are cleared first and which tasks are not included in the city’s service agreements.

“One of the main things that gets people quite concerned and frustrated are windrows,” adds Farrow. “We understand that. It’s about the service levels we have in place that council has clearly laid out for us. And the responsibility for windrows is for the homeowner.”