Select Board backs town‑meeting citizen petition to form sidewalk snow‑removal study committee

Angela Chen, who brought a citizen's petition to create a sidewalk snow‑removal study committee, told the board the group would research other communities’ policies, consult agencies and conduct public outreach to develop recommendations for future action.

"The purpose behind it is to form a study committee to research, sidewalk snow removal policies and explore alternatives to the current approach and develop recommendations for future action," Chen said, describing photos of blocked sidewalks and bus stops that forced pedestrians, schoolchildren and wheelchair users into the roadway.

Board members broadly supported the idea as a study effort that would not itself enact bylaw changes. Select Board members praised the outreach (Chen said she collected over 100 petition signatures) and noted the Finance Committee took no recommendation; the board voted to support Town Meeting taking favorable action on the article. Any future bylaw change would still require a separate Town Meeting vote and further public discussion.