Rob Myers of Zelienople took to Facebook on Monday to question why the roads in his neighborhood were not clear yet. He posted this picture on the Facebook group called "Zelienople, Harmony Area Community Forum." Submitted Photo

After ice and snow blanketed Butler County over the holiday weekend and left roads resembling hockey rinks, some Zelienople residents said they felt their roads were left unattended by the borough, particularly in the Timberbrook neighborhood just off Route 68.

Timberbrook resident Rob Myers said he personally does not mind driving in the snow — saying he thinks it’s fun — but he grew concerned on behalf of his neighbors.

“Friday came with some snow on the ground, and I just thought they would come the next day,” Myers said. “But there was nothing; then Christmas Day came, still nothing. I posted on the Zelie Facebook forum just to try and find out for my neighbors sake, and of course it started a big discussion. I was more curious than anything.”

“The worst of it I would say was Friday evening,” he added. “I was sliding all over the road, but I think it’s fun. I could see how someone 60 and over wouldn’t see it as too funny.”

Myers said when he left for work Tuesday morning, he did see a plow truck coming up the street where he lives.

Tammy Evans, another Timberbrook resident, also said the first plow truck she saw came through Tuesday morning.

She explained that roads nearby in Jackson Township were significantly better than what she saw in her neighborhood.

“Christmas Eve, we leave to go to my son’s house five minutes away, but he’s in Jackson Township,” Evans said. “When we get there, we wonder how is this completely clear and our roads are terrible.”

“Main Street is pretty clear,” Evans added. “On Christmas Eve, it was OK, but wasn’t great.”

Zelienople borough manager Don Pepe said it’s not uncommon for residents to feel this way about the roads from time to time, but he explained there was a reason roads were in the condition they were.

“We do the best that we can, and sometimes we fail, but over the weekend, the weather was so cold that you just can’t scrape it down to the ice surface because then all you have is the ice exposed, which is not good,” Pepe said. “I knew the public works director was going to have everybody out (Tuesday), and they have been out since early this morning.”

Pepe said he thinks the roads throughout Zelienople have been kept up with, but couldn’t provide comment on Timberbrook in particular because he said he had not driven through there recently.

“Salt doesn’t do anything when it’s under 20 degrees,” Pepe said. “It’s better to have a snow cap on it than not have a snow cap on it.”

“I’m very proud in what we do,” Pepe added. “I think our roads are as good as we can get them. Sometimes I feel we can do better, and I’m not saying that we don’t, but I think we did OK.”