Tupper Lake village Mayor Mary Fontana is seen at Monday's board meeting. At left is village Trustee Brasen LaVassaur and Trustee Richard "Rick" Pickering is at right. (Enterprise photo — Chris Gaige)

TUPPER LAKE — Tupper Lake Village Mayor Mary Fontana reminded community members at Monday’s village board meeting that everyone has a responsibility when it comes to snow removal.

With a wintry start to December so far, Fontana said the village has received several calls from concerned residents who are worried that there’s too much snow around their property, making it difficult for first responders to access in the event of an emergency.

The mayor said that while she understood the concerns, they are unfounded, and she had reached out to the heads of the Tupper Lake Volunteer Rescue Squad and the Tupper Lake Volunteer Fire Department to make sure of this.

“I’ve spoken with the chief of rescue and the chief of fire, just in case,” she said. “I promise, if anyone has an emergency, emergency first responder crews will be able to access the property just fine.”

Fontana added that village DPW crews — aided by employees from other village departments — have been working hard to clear the snow piles, including running graveyard shifts to remove the banks in high-traffic areas that would be highly disruptive during the daytime.

As the village chips away at the snow, Fontana said residents and business owners have an obligation to keep their personal driveways and proximate sidewalk segments clear. She added that if people are physically unable to shovel the snow, they should call an upstanding neighbor.

And if all else fails?

Fontana said people can always call the village offices and ask for her directly — it’s a community service she’s done before and would be happy to do again.

“There’s also a personal responsibility piece that I think people tend to forget,” she said. “If you’re not able to shovel, call a neighbor (or) call me. I’ve shoveled out a hydrant before myself.”

Fontana expressed gratitude to the village crews for their snow removal efforts thus far this season.

“They work as hard as they can, and we thank them,” she said.

Tupper Lake Free Press Editor and Publisher Dan McClelland, who was in attendance for the village board meeting, took the opportunity to extend a thank-you to the crews, adding that they often go above and beyond when clearing the banks that have built up along the state Routes 3 and 30 that run through the village.

“It was nice to show up this morning and see the banks away,” he said.