Many Baldwin residents voiced frustration with snow removal efforts in their neighborhoods following the two large snowstorms that blanketed Long Island.
Residents took to local Facebook groups and community forums to share their concerns. In one widely circulated post, Joe Scianablo, who is running for town supervisor, asked residents to describe conditions on their streets following the Feb. 22 storm, prompting dozens of responses from Baldwin residents detailing both frustrations and praise.
In response to a Facebook post by the Herald asking Baldwin residents about snow removal, business owners said plowing operations left entrances blocked, making it difficult for customers and visitors to access their properties. Gary Farkash, president of the Baldwin Historical Society, said the walkway to the organization’s offices and museum on Grand Avenue was repeatedly obstructed by snow pushed aside by plows.
“The Town of Hempstead department that takes care of it did a decent job of plowing the lot on Grand Avenue, just south of Seaman Avenue,” Farkash wrote, “but like always, they plowed in the Baldwin Historical Society and Museum walkway.”
“It’s appalling,” he added. “The last time it snowed, I put in a call to our Councilwoman Dorothy Goosby’s office and the next day a crew showed up to clear the walkway they blocked.”
Farkash said he followed the same steps after the most recent storm, again contacting Goosby’s office and waiting for a crew to clear the area.
“I don’t understand why it is so difficult to understand that you shouldn’t be blocking in businesses,” he wrote, adding that blocked walkways can create safety concerns for pedestrians navigating around snow piles near busy roadways.
In residential neighborhoods, many of the most common complaints focused on incomplete plowing, particularly on side streets.
“Glover Place, as usual, is neglected until the next day,” Baldwin resident Donald Rivas wrote. “Even after the plow passes, it still leaves a trail of ice and snow and plows in the driveways.”
Rivas’s neighbor, Nancy Capozzi, echoed those concerns, saying the street had not been adequately cleared during the last three snowstorms.
Residents from across Baldwin described inconsistent plowing and ongoing challenges following the storm in response to both Scianablo’s post and the Herald’s.
Joy McMillian said neighbors on her block moved their cars to allow for full plowing, but crews did not clear from curb to curb.
“I do not understand why the plow trucks will not go to the curb,” she wrote. “We all moved our cars, but they didn’t go through the snow-filled curb.”
An anonymous resident said she and her husband contacted the Town of Hempstead multiple times about Everett Court.
“My husband and I called the Town of Hempstead or filled out the online form four times, and Everett Court was never plowed,” the resident wrote. “I saw two trucks drive by with their plow up.”
On its website, Town of Hempstead officials said snow removal operations are conducted in phases, beginning with salting roads before plowing begins. The town is responsible for approximately 1,200 miles of roadways and municipal parking fields in unincorporated areas, while state, county, village and city agencies maintain their own roads.
Officials said crews prioritize main roads and heavily traveled routes to ensure access for emergency vehicles and maintain traffic flow before turning to residential streets. Crews work continuously during storms until all streets are cleared; often making multiple passes that can result in snow being pushed into driveways and sidewalks.
The town also urged residents to assist in snow removal efforts by moving vehicles off roadways ahead of storms, avoiding shoveling snow into the street, and waiting until plows have passed before clearing driveways.
Residents are advised to shovel snow to the right side of their driveway apron to reduce the likelihood of it being pushed back by plows.
Officials also reminded residents to clear snow around fire hydrants and create pedestrian paths at corners to improve safety.
In a Facebook post ahead of the storm, Town Supervisor John Ferretti encouraged residents to report issues using the town’s online Storm Response Form.
“As we prepare for the winter storm expected Sunday into Monday, I’m asking residents to use the Town’s online Storm Response Form to report issues directly to us,” Ferretti wrote.
“Whether it’s a road that hasn’t been plowed, icy conditions, or a tree or limb down, this form ensures our crews get the information quickly and accurately.”
Still, not all feedback was negative. Some residents said conditions varied depending on location, with certain streets seeing improved service compared with previous storms.
“I think they did a good job,” Donna Desantis wrote. “We were fortunate. My daughter went to work, no problem on Tuesday.”
Miguel Melendez said his street, Wallace Avenue, was handled better than during prior storms.
Others pointed to resident behavior as a contributing factor. Kevin George Millerick said cars left on streets, and snow shoveled into roadways, made it harder for plows to properly clear roads.
Some residents also acknowledged the difficulty of snow removal operations.
“These guys have a rough time working in this weather,” Jo-Ann Autorino wrote, describing a fire truck that became stuck on Soper Avenue before being assisted by plows.
If winter weather continues, Baldwin residents said they hope to see improvements in consistency, particularly on residential streets, and clearer communication from the town about plowing operations before storms hit.
