Progress Is Slow and Residents Are Angry

(Editor's Note: My street is not plowed and I can't get around town to see roads. I can see from all of the comments on here and facebook that a large portion of the town's roads are not plowed. Berlin Patch is reporting the progress but we are not in charge of it. So to sum it up, don't shoot the messenger...please.)

As of 2 p.m. Sunday Berlin Mayor Adam Salina said his goal is to have at least one lane clear on every road in town by Sunday night. He said there are some streets that are clear and passable and others that are not passable at all.

"The process is extremely hard," Salina said. "I just drove by Wildemere and Casner and there is a bobcat moving the snow to a payloader. Then if they get enough snow off the area, a plow will go through. The plows just can't pass through some of the streets because it is too much snow. The bobcats and payloaders are doing the grunt work and then the plow will hopefully clear the way."

Salina said he understands why residents are upset.

"If I could clear the roads myself I would do it, I understand," he said. "This is a storm that happens once every 40 or 50 years and really hasn't happened in over 100 years. No town is prepared for something this big. You make do with what you have and go from there.

"I can tell you are up to seven outside contractors to help us with the roads. These guys are out there 24 hours and doing everything they can so it's tough. Again, we are not unique. Other towns are having the same problems and competing for the same outside contractors we are. I have heard from some people that other neighboring towns are perfectly fine and I can tell you that's not true. All these towns are on the conference calls with the Governor and they are in the same situation."

One Berlin Patch reader e-mailed the editor and had this to say.

"I just feel it's a very poor approach for the mayor to say 'where do you have to go.'" Rick Singer said. "I need to get to New York to see my son, it is important to me. Others have important places to go too.

"When I see the residents of Berlin working hard all day to clear their driveway and many of them clearing the sideways in front of their home and/or their neighbors home-- it is frustrating watching everyone play the "hurry up and wait" game -- praying that plows finally come down the streets."

Salina said he has fielded dozens of calls from residents.

"I hear every one of them and they are not falling on deaf ears." he said.