The recent snowstorm on January 19, left the City of Newburgh DPW workers tired and low on morale. Workers plowed and shoveled around the clock Friday night into Saturday morning to get the city cleaned.

Friday morning at 4 p.m. DPW gave the city a coat of pre-salt as they waited to send out the plows. After plowing through the night until 1 a.m. they had to shovel all city owned sidewalks and lots. Three men shovel in below zero degree weather through the night to keep sidewalks clear for Municipal Buildings. They returned Monday morning on a holiday to continue cleaning.

Through the years the department receives many complaints and grievances from residents on the quality of their cleanup. Many residents took to social media to complain about the condition of the city and the large number of tickets administered and more than 100 cars towed during the storm.

“We do the best we can do with what we have,” said DPW Superintendent, George Garrison. “I ask those who complain or have a problem with what we do to look at themselves, to ask if they are doing what they have to do, so we can clear the roads. I am not here looking to make money off a storm in tickets, that doesn’t help me clean the roads. If everyone parked where they are supposed to we would get the streets cleaned without a problem.”

Talking to a room full of DPW employees, they all had the same complaint, residents are not following the rules of a snow ordinance. Cars parking on both sides of the street preventing plows from getting through. After roads are cleared residents and business owners clean snow from their driveways and parking lots into the street covering streets previously cleaned with snow.

“Residents just have to work with us,” said Michael Raushet, DPW Labor Superintendent. “We get all these phone calls about people wanting their streets cleaned but we can’t get the plows through because cars haven’t been moved. We are the first ones out there cleaning the streets, so the Police and Fire Departments can serve the community.”

The workers are not required in their contract to work the overtime during a storm. Many leave wives, kids and family members home alone to clean up the city for the storm before going home to clean their own property.

“When you’re working 16 to 20 hours through the night cleaning the road, it’s like a slap in the face hearing all the complaints,” said Steve Brodsky, Motor Equipment Operator. “A lot of us have family and leave our family to be here.”

The lack of support from the community leaves a sting on the department. They recall through the years having objects thrown at them, at their trucks. Hector Iglesias, DPW Supervisor, was hit in the face with a snowball by residents when trying to complete his work.

“You have a lot of guys here that give it their all,” said Iglesias. “You get frustrated your trying to do your job but they won’t help and they don’t care.”

City Manager Joe Donat road in the plows through the night until 1 a.m. with DPW to witness first hand how DPW cleans the city.

“I spent the whole night with George and his team and was incredibly impressed with their efforts,” said Donat. “As I was riding along in the plow that evening I saw how critical it is that the parking regulations set forth by the snow emergency are followed. If these rules are adhered to, our roads can be plowed. I saw with my own eyes that when these rules are ignored plows cannot come down the street. I can assure you that the enforcement of these regulations will be consistent and the rules in place are a matter of public safety.”

Garrison asks that residents follow the rules of snow ordinances to avoid getting ticketed and a smooth cleanup of the city. He also asks that residents cleaning their driveways, shovel snow onto their own property rather than dumping in the already cleaned streets.

Tuesday’s snow storm, which cancelled schools and many events, prompted another declaration of a snow emergency by Donat. It went into effect at 6 p.m.

Snow emergency notifications are posted on Social Media, and on the City of Newburgh website as far in advance as possible.