Snow Removal in The Keys – How It’s Done

As I sit here writing this, I am taken aback by how much snow we have received. This week has brought blizzard like conditions and the snow depth has almost doubled in the last several days. Of course, that is a good thing – we need it, and it will undoubtedly bring the lake levels up which is good for all.

With that said, it has been a tough Winter. The snow began to fall in October and really hasn’t let up since. It seems that our breaks have been few, and it just keeps piling up. From a service standpoint, this has placed strain on the folks that are responsible for making sure you have access to your homes. They work hard and deserve recognition.

Snow removal is a big job. The City plows the streets and public rights of way, and they are to be commended. This is only a small part of what they have to do as they have the responsibility to clear several hundreds of miles of streets throughout the City. The City, working with Cal Trans, deserves a lot of credit for enabling us all to get around.

The Tahoe Keys Property Owner’s Association (TKPOA) currently retains several contractors to help us with the Cove Subdivisions. Mountain View, led by Matt Mirell, has worked double time to ensure vehicular access while Alejandro and American Pro have worked hard to clear walkways and access to people’s townhomes. These folks deserve a pat on the back. So often, when we are warm and cozy in our beds, these two teams are working in the dark to move the snow so we can enjoy Tahoe living at its best.

I also want to give a shout out to the assistance received from Robert Haen, and the crews at Haen Construction, as well as Pat Kelly and his team from South Shore Boats and Matt Vautour and his team from Tahoe Luxury Estate. Those crews came in at a moment’s notice and bailed this community out, especially during the New Year’s Eve storms and with assistance on the 18+ Townhome roof leaks we have had to contend with this season. Well done.

You should also be aware of the work done by our own crews in our Maintenance and Water Company departments. These guys have worked their tails off to keep the walkways, the Pavilion, the Pier, and numerous areas within the coves clear of snow. Every morning, they are at it. Weekends, they have been at it. Not much of a Christmas and New Years for them – they were all working to take care of you. Do me a favor, if you see one of them, give them a high five. They deserve it – you are lucky to have them.

All said, this year has not been perfect. We know thatIt’s been tough.

Roof leaks, the continuous onslaught of snow, downed trees, and the vicious storms have strained our resources and caused us to reflect on how we can improve service to The Keys. In this, I recommend that we engage with the Cove Advisors, and the Members at-large, to discuss what we did right, and where we can improve going forward. It is difficult to plan for service levels when the weather patterns can vary year to year like they do. Regardless, we would like your input on the service performance levels expected by the community. We want to know how things can be improved and what service levels you are willing to pay for. Of course, everything comes at a cost and these services are not cheap. This will be placed on a Cove Advisors Committee meeting agenda later this year for discussion. I encourage you to participate as this is your home. Thank you.

Mark J. Madison, P.E. Interim General Manager