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RFH 2010, Cover Stories, Village of Hamilton

Letter: Pedestrian Safety Committee Reminds Folks About Sidewalk Care

Fri, Sep 16, 2011

Created in 2006 by former Mayor Sue McVaugh, the Pedestrian Safety Committee exists to help make Hamilton a safe, accessible, and appealing community for all. Over the years, the committee’s most visible role has been in the creation and oversight of the Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Initiative.

The majority of property holders in the village own the stretch of sidewalk in front of their property. They are required by law to maintain that stretch of sidewalk. This means keeping it clear of debris, snow, and other potential obstacles to walkers. It also means they must repair or replace slabs that have become so damaged over time that they might prove hazardous to people or to snow removal equipment.

Every year, the Department of Public Works (not the Pedestrian Safety Committee) creates a list of 10 property-owners whose sidewalks are in dire need of repair. The property owners receive a certified letter requesting that they repair their sidewalk, in whole or in part, and informing them that, when the work is complete, they are eligible for a partial rebate. The maximum rebate is $600.

Here are some particulars of the Sidewalk Initiative:

  • Property owners on the sidewalk list have 90 days following approval for participationin the rebate program to perform the work. The deadline for submitting a request forreimbursement for the coming year is anticipated to be July13, 2012.
  • To receive a rebate, property owners must submit paid receipts for materials and/or labor. Also, prior to and during construction the work must be inspected by the Codes Enforcement Officer.
  • The rebate covers materials and labor at a rate of not more than $5 per square foot. The average stretch of sidewalk in front of a home in Hamilton is 200 square feet.
  • Any taxpaying property owner may apply for a rebate on the cost of sidewalk repair or replacement, not just people on the sidewalk list.

Questions about specific sidewalk repair or rebates should be addressed to the village office at 8214-1111. General questions or comments for the Pedestrian Safety Committee may be addressed either to Sam Cooper, the trustee liaison to the committee, at coopesam@gmail.com or 824-0866, or to Jennifer Brice, the chair of the committee, at jbrice@colgate.edu.

Other members of the Pedestrian Safety Committee include Susan Marafino, Shaun Richard, Daniel Rains, and Carol Bergen. Members of the committee normally serve two-year terms.

Anyone interested in joining the committee should contact the trustee liaison or the chair. Meetings are normally held on the third Tuesday of every month at 4:15 p.m. in the Hamilton Public Library. The public is welcome.

Jennifer Brice and Sam Cooper

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