POST FALLS - Seniors and those with disabilities won't be snowed under without a free snow berm removal service in Post Falls this winter.

But the city is also on the prowl to curb abuse of the program.

In one of the most lively Post Falls City Council meetings in recent memory as far as public outcry, the council on Tuesday night decided to keep the program that has formally been around for 20 years for at least the time being.

A committee will be formed to tighten qualifications and explore ways to make the program more manageable.

There was no public hearing on the topic at the meeting, but the council unanimously still allowed residents to voice their concerns about the possibility of the program being eliminated. Some residents were visibly upset in their conversations with city staff before the meeting after learning there was a chance they couldn't speak because of no public hearing.

"Please give our seniors and those with disabilities the courtesy and dignity they deserve," said senior Nancy Griggs, who has lived in Post Falls for 43 years. "Let's make Post Falls a place that cares and shows compassion."

After a workshop on the program last month, city staff met and made the recommendation to council to eliminate the program because the city lacks the manpower and equipment to handle the amount of snow berm removal requests.

The city provided the service to 83 homes when it started keeping track in 1999. The number has steadily grown over the years and was at 428 last winter.

City officials say the program has been abused by some to where recipients have signatures of office staff and other people than their doctor on their request forms. They said that's contrary to the original intent of the program, which was geared toward those who couldn't afford to have snow berms removed or couldn't remove it themselves.

Staff also said driver fatigue and safety is another concern as it takes 13 to 14 hours to remove snow from all of the city streets.

City staff said other options, if the program remains in place, would be to tighten the qualifications and/or purchase snow "gates" on their equipment to reduce the berms as Coeur d'Alene and Rathdrum have. Hayden eliminated its snow berm removal program last year due to the same concerns Post Falls has.

"I've had more phone calls on this than our $40 million budget," said Skip Hissong, council member.

Linda Wilhelm, another council member, said she received about two dozen inquiries on Tuesday from citizens about the issue.

Griggs and other residents who spoke suggested some people, including herself, would be willing to chip in financially to save the service. But Hissong said that's not an option he would support.

"If we can tighten up on the abuse, find more money for the program and work with the street department to find specialized equipment ... I'm in favor of keeping (the program) in a more controlled environment," he said.

Post Falls resident Randy Huska said the $25,416 the city spent on the program last year was worth the money. He said it doesn't make sense that taxpayer funds (through the urban renewal agency) were spent on infrastructure for the still-mostly-vacant Post Falls Landing multi-use project and an essential service that costs a lot less faces elimination.

"The city has the responsibility to clear away snow from the street and not just push it on sidewalks and driveways," he said. "This is a right of the taxpayer, not just the elderly."