Following a historic dump of snow last month, and the chaos that ensued with snow removal, some Edmontonians have been taking their frustration out on city staff. In a media release, Mayor Andrew Knack said there have been incidents of city workers having shovels thrown at their vehicles and reports of verbal harassment toward them and 311 operators over the past week. “These events impede on the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, who are also friends, family members and neighbours,” said Knack in a statement Wednesday. “Not only do these actions affect their individual lives, they threaten our community as a whole.” The mayor’s statement comes after Ward Anirniq Coun. Erin Rutherford called out a former council candidate for a social media post made regarding a councillor parking on the street during a parking ban. The post showed a white pickup truck with its licence plate visible parked beside a parking ban sign and said: ‘What, not enough off street parking there councillor?’ “No one – including those elected to serve – should be subjected to continuous attempts to undermine their safety and security under the guise of ‘transparency,’” said Rutherford in a statement Tuesday night. On Wednesday, Rutherford confirmed that former candidate Jesse Watson, who ran against her in October, was the one who made the post, which has since been taken down. “I shared a photo of a truck, a parking ban sign, and a public statement from the mayor encouraging residents to move vehicles during parking bans, noting the apparent irony,” said Watson in an email to CTV News Edmonton. “Public discussion of observations made in shared spaces without naming individuals or disclosing private information is part of civic accountability.” Rutherford said she welcomes criticism, but that the post attempted to undermine her safety and security. “It is a continual pattern of behaviour and using mis- and disinformation to create rage that is translating directly to impacts to safety of our elected officials and people who have stepped up to serve their community,” Rutherford said to reporters at city hall Wednesday. Residential snow clearing is on track to finish Friday night, in which the Phase 2 parking ban will be lifted at 7 p.m.
