LIVING HERE

With the recent winter storm and the abundance of snow, it reminded us that cleanup and safety are top priorities.
Lake Geneva Director of Public Works Tom Earle and the Public Works hard-working crew are a big part of coordinating this daunting task and getting it done. Lake Geneva has over forty-five miles of roadways to keep clear during winter weather, and three miles of those roadways are downtown. The most traveled roads are done first, and the rest are done as quickly as possible. The downtown is a huge job; during any snowfall, the city crew spends just as much time on the three miles of downtown as it does on the other forty-five miles of roadway.

Being a part of the public works crew is sometimes a thankless job, as many calls come in with complaints on why roads are not better, too much or too little salt was used, why sis this road get done before that road, why there are still parking spots not plowed, and so on. Well, the public works has rules to follow and ordinances to comply with and Mother Nature to compete with. Timing is an issue; downtown needs to be plowed before businesses open, and if winter parking regulations are not followed, stalls are not always fully cleared; the main roadways cause the most safety risk and need to be replowed regularly during a snowfall, and side roads are an issue for those who live on that street but are not always plowed as quickly or repeatedly as residents would like. Lake Geneva Public Works does a great job, and other communities have noticed. Departments from surrounding communities have followed Lake Geneva’s example in many of the standard processes it performs. During the next snow event, remember there is a lot to do in a short time to ensure safe travels for everyone. The public works crew works smart and hard, has many to answer too, and has rules from the state and city to follow. Don’t let this hard work go unnoticed. Thank a plow driver.