The city of Oconto Falls last week dropped its reciprocal snow plowing agreement with the town of Oconto Falls over complaints of unsafe conditions on Golden Corners Road.
The city and town had a verbal agreement in which the city plowed the town’s portion of West Highland Drive and the town plowed the city portion of Golden Corners Road.
At the March 11 City Council meeting, City Administrator Vicki Roberts said she received numerous complaints from residents and bus drivers this winter about the condition of Golden Corners Road.
Alderperson Don Osborne, who owns property on Golden Corners Road, was one of them.
“Even in snow country, I’ve never see roads this bad. For our city to allow this to happen is disgraceful,” he said. “It’s terribly dangerous for the school buses to be on those roads.”
“A week ago, it was like a luge run,” resident Mike Shomin said. “You’re taking your car, and it’s like a sled, bouncing between the snow banks.”
Town Chairman David Alsteen acknowledged the plow drivers were lax on spreading salt on the road because the town’s supply was low. In addition, because of the route the drivers take, sometimes the road isn’t plowed until a lot of traffic has moved through.
He promised better service in the future, but residents at the meeting weren’t satisfied.
“We pay taxes to the city, and we’d like city services,” Osborne said.
Osborne’s motion calling for the city to plow Golden Corners Road, and the town to handle West Highland Drive, was later rescinded at the request of Mayor Brad Rice. Rice said the motion was improper because Osborne had special interest in the outcome.
A similar motion by Jay Kostreva passed with a 5-0 vote, with Osborne abstaining.
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