Washington digs out from first snow of the year

    For the first time this year, area residents have had to get out their shovels to clear the streets and sidewalks of snow. Washington received a little over an inch of snow Monday morning, prompting city officials to plow and salt the streets. Parks Commissioner Tim Widmer used a lawnmower outfitted with a blade to move snow off the sidewalks in the downtown area.

    Widmer said Monday?s snow should not present a serious problem for pedestrians or vehicles. 

    ?It?s just a light snow; there?s really no ice underneath it,? said Widmer. ?It might even melt off. It?s supposed to get into the low 30s later today.?

    At the same time, Widmer said that it doesn?t hurt to be on the safe side.

    ?It?s good to be cautious,? he said. ?We?re getting it cleaned off so people don?t fall. It is a bit slick on the roads. It?s good to be careful when it?s slick. It can be dangerous if you?re not careful.  I don?t think it?s going to be slick all day, though.?

    Although Widmer saw the city crews putting salt on the roads, he said he did not apply salt to the sidewalks because it wasn?t necessary. However, Widmer said that will probably change in the next day or two.

    ?I salt the sidewalks when it gets really bad,? said Widmer. ?It will probably be bad enough on Wednesday.? 

    Widmer alluded to the blizzard in the forecast for Washington County that is expected to strike Tuesday night and last all day Wednesday. While Widmer believes the blizzard will be very bad, he said there is nothing he does differently to prepare for it.

    Bob Zager runs a business just off the square in Washington. Zager said he is fortunate to have an awning that keeps most of the snow off of his sidewalk, but added that he had to give it a little attention.

    ?I spent five or ten minutes brooming off the sidewalk this morning,? said Zager. ?There is some ice here so I?ll probably have to get some salt out so people don?t fall.?

For the full article, see the Dec. 7 edition of the Washington Evening Journal.