By Kelly Broder, Special to The Reporter
State Sen. Nick Collins and City Councillors Brian Worrell and Ed Flynn want to augment Boston’s snow-removal approach by establishing a snow clearance strike force.
Citing the “extra strain” on city workers when there is a heavy snowfall, Worrell proposed hiring a group of seasonal shovelers that can be deployed to help clear snow from high-traffic pedestrian areas, along with a group of volunteers who would shovel pathways for homeowners with limited mobility or are otherwise unable to do so themselves.
“The more investments, the more people that can help our public works department, the better they are out there,” Worrell said.
Last week, the District 4 councillor filed a request for a public hearing, and Flynn requested a hearing to discuss purchasing snow-melters to expedite its removal. These asks came in the week after the Jan. 25-26 northeaster dropped 23 inches of snow on Boston – and before another 4 inches fell this past weekend.
Flynn pointed to efforts made by South Boston’s Labouré Center, part of Catholic Charities Boston, which once ran a “Snow Angels” program that paired volunteer snow-clearers with older neighbors and people with disabilities.
The scene along Savin Hill Avenue on Feb. 9, 2026. Seth Daniel photo
“It is important for us to look at scaling a similar program across the city to help our neighbors in need when it comes to these difficult conditions that bring accessibility issues,” Flynn said.
The city requires property owners to clear sidewalks and curb ramps within three hours after snowfall stops. If it snowed overnight, those areas must be cleared within three hours after sunrise.
Worrell said a corps of seasonal hires could be deployed to shovel and sand high-traffic public areas like bus stops, T stations, and key sidewalks.
Collins said he has reached out to both the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Port Authority requesting the use of their snow-melting services once they complete statewide duties. That could mean heating and filtering the snow from salt and other chemicals before discharging it through the waste plant at Deer Island, he said.
“When we have a significant amount of snowfall that may not be prepared for… sometimes you need to go to the old-fashioned shovel, but you need people to do that,” said Collins, whose district includes Dorchester.
However, his appeal to state agencies drew a rebuke from the president of one of the city’s largest public employees union last week.
Chris Stockbridge, who leads the AFSCME Local Council 93, which includes many of the city’s public works employees, said Collins was ignoring the “reality on the ground.
“Instead of recognizing the hardworking men and women, many of whom are your own constituents… who worked tirelessly for days and nights to keep the city running and looking its best,” he said, “you chose to use this moment as a personal platform to take shots at the mayor because of political disagreements.”
Nick Gove, interim Chief of Streets for the city of Boston, spoke at a press conference about snow removal operations on Feb. 6, 2026. John Wilcox/City of Boston photo
Mayor Michelle Wu, in public remarks last week about the city’s snow response, noted that the Jan. 25-26 storm was one of the top ten largest snowfall events in the city’s history. City code enforcement officers issued more than 2,800 violations to property owners who failed to clear their sidewalks, according to Nick Gove, the interim Chief of Streets in Boston. That number included 112 tickets issued to the MBTA, he noted.
Worrell said residents should call 311 or reach out to their district councillor’s office if there is an area that needs additional attention from snow removal services.
No date has been set for public hearings or a potential joint hearing on Worrell and Flynn’s proposals, according to Flynn. Worrell said he hopes it will be “as soon as possible” and encourages community members to attend and share their perspectives.
“That is when you start seeing real movement in local government,” Worrell said. “When people are voicing their support and willingness to take part.”
This story is the product of a partnership between the Dorchester Reporter and Boston University’s Department of Journalism.
