Plow Drivers Walk Off Job After Criticism By Cheektowaga Official

The deadly Christmas blizzard here in Western New York has been causing tensions to run high. There have been quite a few instances of disagreements and hurt feelings as many are still reeling from the storm, which has claimed 40 lives, so far. Mark Poloncarz, the Erie County Executive, and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown had a dispute over plowing in the city. During a press conference on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, Poloncarz criticized the City of Buffalo's job plowing the streets,

The mayor’s not going to be happy to hear about it, but storm after storm after storm after storm, the city, unfortunately, is the last one to be opened and that shouldn’t be the case. It’s embarrassing, to tell you the truth.

Poloncarz has since apologized.

Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Criticizes Plow Drivers

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Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Diane Benczkowski apparently made some critical remarks about plow drivers in the town, causing them to walk off the job for two hours. Cheektowaga Highway Superintendent Mark Wegner confirmed the incident to WIVB.

Benczkowski says that the claim is “hinging on libel and slander,” according to Channel 4. She claims she was asking why the town couldn't use more highway plows to clear roads faster. She says it was all a miscommunication. She says that she said,

I asked him [the forman] why he cannot put more of our own highway plows on the roads to speed up the clean up process. After all, we are in day 6 of this storm, and some residents have not been able to leave their homes or have see a plow yet.

She apologized to the drivers and they returned to the job.

With so many WNYers losing their lives, there has been plenty of blame and accusations to go around. People are stressed, tired and hurting. My heart goes out to anyone who lost someone during the storm.

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