A 76-year-old retired church organist forced to toil away at her icy Southie sidewalk says City Hall is being cold for slapping her with a $200 fine for not clearing the path in front of her family’s property.
Lorraine Walsh, one of more than 500 Bostonians hit with a citation the past week, said it “would be horrendous” if the penalty for an uncleared walk jumps to $1,500 — which could happen under the new law.
“I’ve lived here 75 years and I’ve never gotten a ticket before. At first, I couldn’t believe it,” she told the Herald last night as she dumped salt on a patch of ice outside the family insurance business and home on East Broadway. “I’m calling City Hall in the morning.”
The city issued 243 tickets for failing to clear sidewalks Tuesday, along with 135 on Monday, the day after the storm, and 133 yesterday.
The fines for those days — $50 for homeowners and more for businesses — amounted to $34,650.
Chief of Streets Chris Osgood said inspectors do not look for perfectly plowed sidewalks but walkable ways through snow.
Walsh, a former organist and choir director at Gate of Heaven Church, said Sunday’s frigid gusts of wind and wet snow made it impossible for her to break through the ice.
“You see what I’m saying? I put salt on this three times and even now it’s still hard,” Walsh said as she took a shovel to the walk.
On Tuesday, instead of a Valentine in her mail slot, Walsh found a ticket addressed to her sister, who is the owner of the house that also includes her brother Thomas Walsh’s insurance office. Because the building contains that business, it was hit with a $200 fine rather than a $50 residential ticket.
“It’s a three-family with one small office paying the same fine as Gillette,” Thomas Walsh said, referring to the blade factory up the street.
He said he’s been in business at the building since 1979 and has never gotten a shoveling ticket. “It’s a rip-off.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh — no relation to the family — said anyone who gets a ticket can appeal it and said he thought Lorraine would win an appeal.
“We take into account the circumstances that are happening,” the mayor said. “This isn’t about older people out shoveling. But we also want small businesses to clean their sidewalks. We can’t write off everyone.”
Last year, Gov. Charlie Baker approved a law backed by Mayor Walsh that allows cities to increase the maximum fine for businesses who fail to shovel to $1,500. A Walsh spokesman at the time said the city won’t necessarily levy the maximum fine.
“We’re not trying to make sure the entire sidewalk is flake-free, we want to make sure there’s a clear path of travel,” Osgood said of the citations. “We’re looking for safe passage for all residents. We appreciate all of their hard work after the storm.”
As for Lorraine Walsh, she said she’s fired up to file an appeal today.
“I am going to call them. I am going to write a letter and ask to be excused,” she said. “The ticket has a picture and the picture even shows that half is done. It may work if I write a letter, I’m going to find out what I can do.”
Lorraine Walsh, who said she “enjoys” shoveling and doesn’t consider herself elderly, said she can’t afford the ticket and isn’t going to take it sitting down.
“It’s just too extreme,” she added. “I think a warning is appropriate before you give out a $200 ticket.”
