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Ken Dale and some of his competitors apparently did something terribly wrong in this city where winter can come way too soon.
The residential snow-removal contractors jumped the gun by posting markers or stakes alongside customer driveways after the city introduced a new rule this year that none could be put up until Nov. 1.
Dale, owner of an Appleseed Snowblowing franchise, appears to be the worst offender by far.
City bylaw officers went to Barrhaven last Thanksgiving weekend and seized Appleseed markers from several driveways. The city says it acted because Appleseed failed to comply with its order a few days earlier to remove them, following complaints from some Barrhaven residents.
Dale says Nov. 1 is very late, especially as he has about 3,500 customers, and to go to every driveway to install the markers and do some preparatory work, such as trimming back branches, takes time. Dale is especially concerned about an early storm and not having markers at some, many or all of the driveways he clears.
He asks whether the city will pay for lawn damage that may result from his equipment because of this “stupid” rule.
Dale, president of the Ottawa Snow Contractors Association, insists he only found out about about the new rule last week.
Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder says the city was not heavy-handed with Dale, considering he had been told he had 48 hours to remove the markers. In an email to Appleseed, Harder accused the company of abusing the rules in order to get a jump on its competition. “We all support business but not at the disadvantage to others who provide the same service.”
Harder is also peeved with Dale for directing some of his Barrhaven customers to send her office “harassing emails.”
Dale isn’t apologizing for telling his customers to complain. He says many are seniors who want the markers in place earlier rather than later. Dale says the markers assure customers that if snow comes early, they won’t be without his service.
The city went after Dale again late this week with another order to take down more signs in a swath of west-end Ottawa neighbourhoods. This time, Dale complied, though he says the city initially explained those could stay because no one in those neighbourhoods had complained. But by Thursday afternoon, he was told by Roger Chapman, program manager of bylaw enforcement, that all markers had to be taken down within 48 hours because the municipality had to be consistent with enforcement. The same order went out to Dale’s competitors, says Chapman.
Between Barrhaven and the west-end, Dale figures the fibreglass markers had already been posted on about 1,600 or 1,700 driveways of the 3,500 his company services.
Dale, who has owned his franchise for 15 years, says he found out about the new rule late last week when he received his licence renewals from the city. Enclosed was a reminder notice of the city’s requirements for snow removal firms, including the new rule that markers can not be posted before Nov. 1.
But Dale says a competitor — Cindy Harris of Andy’s Snow Blowing — queried the city after receiving her notice and was told Nov. 1 was simply a guideline and that markers already in driveways could stay. Harris confirmed she passed that information on to Dale. She says her crews only started putting up markers after spotting Appleseed’s in the same communities where the two companies compete.
Chapman says the city decided on the Nov. 1 rule following growing complaints over the past few years about the proliferation of snow-removal markers throughout Ottawa neighbourhoods in early fall. The city will review the rule next year. Dale wants the date changed to Oct. 15.
Chapman says the city believes Nov. 1 is early enough because it’s unlikely to snow before then, and that some contractors are only putting them up earlier to advertise as the markers usually carry the company name and its phone number. As well, says Chapman, the markers can also be a safety hazard, including for Halloween trick-or-treaters on Oct. 31.
Markers must be removed by April 30.
Is something bothering you? Please contact: thepubliccitizen@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
The residential snow-removal contractors jumped the gun by posting markers or stakes alongside customer driveways after the city introduced a new rule this year that none could be put up until Nov. 1.
Dale, owner of an Appleseed Snowblowing franchise, appears to be the worst offender by far.
City bylaw officers went to Barrhaven last Thanksgiving weekend and seized Appleseed markers from several driveways. The city says it acted because Appleseed failed to comply with its order a few days earlier to remove them, following complaints from some Barrhaven residents.
Dale says Nov. 1 is very late, especially as he has about 3,500 customers, and to go to every driveway to install the markers and do some preparatory work, such as trimming back branches, takes time. Dale is especially concerned about an early storm and not having markers at some, many or all of the driveways he clears.
He asks whether the city will pay for lawn damage that may result from his equipment because of this “stupid” rule.
Dale, president of the Ottawa Snow Contractors Association, insists he only found out about about the new rule last week.
Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder says the city was not heavy-handed with Dale, considering he had been told he had 48 hours to remove the markers. In an email to Appleseed, Harder accused the company of abusing the rules in order to get a jump on its competition. “We all support business but not at the disadvantage to others who provide the same service.”
Harder is also peeved with Dale for directing some of his Barrhaven customers to send her office “harassing emails.”
Dale isn’t apologizing for telling his customers to complain. He says many are seniors who want the markers in place earlier rather than later. Dale says the markers assure customers that if snow comes early, they won’t be without his service.
The city went after Dale again late this week with another order to take down more signs in a swath of west-end Ottawa neighbourhoods. This time, Dale complied, though he says the city initially explained those could stay because no one in those neighbourhoods had complained. But by Thursday afternoon, he was told by Roger Chapman, program manager of bylaw enforcement, that all markers had to be taken down within 48 hours because the municipality had to be consistent with enforcement. The same order went out to Dale’s competitors, says Chapman.
Between Barrhaven and the west-end, Dale figures the fibreglass markers had already been posted on about 1,600 or 1,700 driveways of the 3,500 his company services.
Dale, who has owned his franchise for 15 years, says he found out about the new rule late last week when he received his licence renewals from the city. Enclosed was a reminder notice of the city’s requirements for snow removal firms, including the new rule that markers can not be posted before Nov. 1.
But Dale says a competitor — Cindy Harris of Andy’s Snow Blowing — queried the city after receiving her notice and was told Nov. 1 was simply a guideline and that markers already in driveways could stay. Harris confirmed she passed that information on to Dale. She says her crews only started putting up markers after spotting Appleseed’s in the same communities where the two companies compete.
Chapman says the city decided on the Nov. 1 rule following growing complaints over the past few years about the proliferation of snow-removal markers throughout Ottawa neighbourhoods in early fall. The city will review the rule next year. Dale wants the date changed to Oct. 15.
Chapman says the city believes Nov. 1 is early enough because it’s unlikely to snow before then, and that some contractors are only putting them up earlier to advertise as the markers usually carry the company name and its phone number. As well, says Chapman, the markers can also be a safety hazard, including for Halloween trick-or-treaters on Oct. 31.
Markers must be removed by April 30.
Is something bothering you? Please contact: thepubliccitizen@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
