so why is this story removed...does truth hurt

Yes they are worthless scum...now that they have again waffled into the abbyss, they should all be held accountable for the 10's of thousands in fees from the law suits comming forth. Make the counsil pay for it, these people have no clue what so ever as to how to make a city run for the good of all...they are completely worthless, I wish they would run to Illinois and hide, they are so stupid they would forget how to come home. BUNCH OF IDIOTS

Shame on you!

This council has once again proven itself to be a rudderless ship of fools. After all these years they need a "committee" to make a decision for them - another group of people to blame? Why do we even have the council? Purely for comic effect? Their ability to make decision and formulate plans is nothing less than farcical!

I'm sick of paying for sidewalks I didn't want or ask for, council. YOU forced them on me - come take them out, you fools, and refund my money! I'm sure many of the folks who they've force sidewalks on for years would demand the same.

Why doesn't this collection of the desperately unloved stay with what it's best at - ribbon cuttings and generating hot air!

I have a difficult time supporting new sidewalks when the existing sidewalks are in such disrepair. There are 3 sections of sidewalk on my block that are heaved up at least 3 inches - can't wait for the lawsuit when someone trips and seriously injures themselves. I think the city needs to start fixing what they already have instead of adding new sidewalks to neighborhoods that no one will use.

Good choice for now.

After reading one of the posts about walking on they street,and I have had to do the same a time or two,reminds me of a situation as to why it can not be expected to put the entire burden on the owner.Because if it were their side walk then the opportunity could arise that the home owner just might run out and put a tax or a toll on who walks on it.Not good.There are already far to many individuals that can not be trusted to be on the streets as it is,let alone if they owned the sidewalk.

It is necessary to balance the equation of owner ship here,and there are ways to balance that in respect to property values.

Good work city council.This will take some time to balance out.Also,it will give Janesville the opportunity to allow the outer world in creating jobs and home values to improve rather than this "gated community" that it has been for so long.It is good to interact with the outside Janesville world.Now perhaps we can move on with the definition of the "intersection" rather than waisting time and money with what to refer to...........as an intersection.

Maybe everyone should start walking on the grass where the sidewalks should be and once a nice mud path forms, the usefulness of sidewalks will become apparent to those property owners?

Since all terrace is owned by the city, I guess I have the right to ride my mountain bike through any gardens, flower beds, etc., if they aren't any sidewalks in the path.

At least it was entertaining watching the anti-sidewalk people explain how they have no problem walking in the road. I thought, but why would they enjoy walking on a paved surface? Why not walk in the dirt or through the petunias planted in the public right-of-way? * sigh *

Yo Flyboy:
"Calling people names"?. "Whining"? What are you delusional. What I stated were facts!

Oink: I was there last night at the council meeting. I DID NOT see a bunch of Janesville Elitist in the seats, standing near the walls or in the adjacent room watching a computer screen. Most of us there were every day working people, retired people, middle class people. The majority of these people where there to show non-support for the current sidewalk plan. 64 of us stood behind a microphone and the majority voiced non-support for the current sidewalk plan. Calling people names and whining isn't going to get you anywhere....sorry. Having your voice heard and voting in candidates who want to support the voters who put them in their seats does.

The elite of Janesville get their way again!!
These folk's sole motivation is "Not in my front yard", .......but it's OK in your front yard. They fear losing the suburban look of their front yard. I know, when sidewalks arrived here, my neighbors across the street appeared before the council explaining why I should have them and they shouldn't. And to no surprise, none have ever asked to help with my shoveling!!!
They want to live in the suburbs yet enjoy all the benefits of the City. Their little committee should focus on secession!!!
It's time to level the playing field, I'm tired of feeling like a red-headed stepchild!

I personally do not care what the decision is in regards to the sidewalks. I do have them, and just recently replaced them. In doing so, I did, BEFORE, the city forces me to replace them. In saying that, what I would ask then, is that the city give me the OPTION to choose in the future,whether on not I would like to have a sidewalk in front of my home.

It's been 4 years since the city decided on this, and it was debated for years before that. There was a policy requiring sidewalks, but past city councils didn't enforce it. 4 years is plenty of time to make arrangements for sidewalks. While I think that given the current economy, the city should provide some sort of extension to homeowners who can prove they cannot afford it, the rest of them need to quit whining and put them in already. They've known for 4 years this was coming. I like the point Janesvillefirst made "For the older speakers who said they would be burdened by shoveling 70' of sidewalk a few times a year; who shovels your 40' feet of double wide driveway and mows your lawn?" IMO it's part of owning a home in the city. The hilarious part is that all of the low income parts of town have sidewalks, and I don't hear those residents crying about it being too big of a burden to shovel and salt them. If you don't want sidewalks, don't live in the city. The elderly lady (she's 94) that lives on the corner of our block has sidewalks along two sides of her property, but somehow she manages to deal with it. That being said, I do think the city needs to work with property owners that have invested the time and money into landscaping and mature trees to come up with a sidewalk plan that doesn't destroy those yards and vegetation.

Cities have sidewalks. Podunk little towns, maybe not. So, which is it Janesville? It's time for Janesville to grow up and be the city it's population says it is.
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Walking and scooping snow are GOOD for you! Get away from your TV and computer and go for a walk! Meet some neighbors! Walk your dog! Then you will appreciate the need for sidewalks!

For the ones who are now typing away condemning the city council for the choices they made: Why weren't you there last night speaking to the council members through the microphone? 64 people chose to voice their opinions with the vast majority voicing a BIG NO with the current sidewalk plan. The city council listened to the majority and I believe voted with the interest of the voters who put them in their seats. Kudos to the council for representing we the people!

excellent point fishingal. i believe the vast majority of the population is against the sidewalks and is tired of government intervening into every aspect of our lives. please have the courage to say "no" to continued overspending and senseless waste. our neighborhood covenants and restrictions prohibit sidewalks! it is recorded as public record. do not let this council trample the original intent of the designers and developers of this neighborhood. thank you city council.

Steebers vote last night is reminiscent of another politician, John Kerry and his famous words of "I voted for it, before I voted against it"

Why complain about shoveling a sidewalk? Do these people not shovel their driveway? Is 15 more minutes of physical activity after a snowfall a bad thing? This is also the reason that snowblowers were invented, to speed up the process. Sidewalks unite neighborhoods and communities, or is that the heart of the problem? These people against sidewalks don't care to know their neighbors or give a d*mn about the safety of children or handicapped? Sidewalks could encourage physical activity.

The "silent" majority didn't need to show up last night. We elected council members to speak for us on the issues, which they did last night. Thank you.

Just as I said before the City Council does not have any GUTS to tell ALL the property owners inside the city limits to put in sidewalks. So City Council its up to you again so lets do it right forget all these delays and do your job.

thank you council members for taking a common sense look at a very flawed sidewalk program that is unnecessary in so many places. it may require a case-by-case decision on the sidewalks, but that will be much more sensible than a blanket policy for every situation. i applaud the decision to reopen the issue.

I watched the council meeting with great interest. I believe 98% of the speakers were against the current policy. I wanted to see if the council would have courage to either stick to current plan or take the “windsock” decision making approach by backing down to vocal opposition to the current plan. When the council decided to shelve the plan, they basically made the statement that they can be intimidated by a group of citizens . What the council now needs to figure out is if the current policy benefits the silent majority of citizens who chose not to attend the meeting or those that they heard from last night. The citizens of Janesville elected the council members to vote for any policy that would benefit’s the entire city, now and in the future. The council was warned of the ramifications of shelving this policy and now they will really feel the heat. Lawyers will get involved and the debate will rage on while costing taxpayers more and more money. Nice Going.

Thank You Kathy Voskuil! The other six need serious help. The speakers last night against sidewalks (and anyone who believes that "Citzens for Sensible Sidwalks" is really that also needs help) were amazing. Beginning with the arrogant head of that group who thought the time clock shouldn't start until after he said his opening remarks to the pathetic battle axe who when referring to one of the visually handicapped speakers and their plight said "we've all got problems".

I'm 67+ so I think I can ask this question. For the older speakers who said they would be burdened by shoveling 70' of sidewalk a few times a year; who shovels your 40' feet of double wide driveway and mows your lawn???

Clearly, these naysayers have Janesville for a legal address, but really live in "Sinnisipiville" or "Berkshireville". If they really were Janesvillians, they would be looking at the big picture.

Finally, I wonder what kind of message the 6 council members who need to "man up" have sent to the city staff members who spent probably hundreds of hours on this project. I guess we can pare back staff and appoint committees to make the tough and informed decisions in the future.

Though not a resident of Janesville, I have walked on your city streets when no sidewalk was available.

That "can of worms" was actually opened when a requirement to provide sidewalks was first applied inequitably to each and every residential property within Janesville city limits. Because of that initial decision made so many years ago, there is now no solution that could possibly be "fair" to everyone. Give your current city council a break for being stuck between a slab of concrete and a hard place.

It wouldn't be fair to force folks to put in sidewalks, & I'll tell ya why. It wasn't a required when the homes were built. And now it's a hefty unplanned expense. Wealthy people suffer a disconnect when these situations come up. they can put in a sidewalk & still go on a pleasure cruise without batting an eye!

How about this? By 2015, all property owners must have a sidewalk. The owner can install it any time between now and then. If there isn't one by January 1, 2015, the city installs one and adds the cost to property taxes. Done.

So tired of the wimpy, whiney, wishy-washy City council as it relates to this subject.

i see a recall coming

Janesville can't stand walkers?

Here we go again, the follies of past favor-currying city councils passed along by the current crop of NIMBY members. We might was well put the old 5-Points railroad overpass back on the agenda for this council.