Letter to the Editor: Snow Removal

Dear Editor:

On behalf of the City of Evanston, my thanks to everyone in the community for your understanding and cooperation as we have worked to move snow out of your way.

It has been a major undertaking.  Staff has been working 24 hours a day since last Tuesday afternoon to clear and remove snow.

There are many things we think we did right and many things we want to change not only for the next blizzard, but anytime we declare a Snow Emergency.  I have asked Assistant City Manager Marty Lyons to develop an "after action" report to document what we did right and what we can do better.  The report will be presented to the City Council on March 14, 2011.

I have already heard from many residents on the good and the "needs improvement" from the blizzard.  We have kept track of these comments and will include them in our report.  I am asking for any additional feedback anyone would like to offer on our communication tools, snow removal operations and/or anything else anyone would care to comment about.   Please contact Mr. Lyons at 847-448-8082 or by email at snow@cityofevanston.org by Friday February 18, 2011.  I will make sure the report is shared with the community.

Again, thank you for your patience as we have moved out almost 21 inches of snow.  We will learn from this event and do even better next time.

Wally Bobkiewicz

City Manager

City of Evanston