Over the past few days, the Butler area has experienced a respite from the harsh winter conditions that battered the city and the entire region for several weeks.

For the most part, road crews in the city and other municipalities, as well as crews from the state Department of Transportation, performed admirably during the persistent snowy onslaught. And, in many instances, property owners were quick to clear snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of their properties.

In Butler, the city streets and sidewalks ordinance stipulates that snow, ice and sleet be removed within 12 hours after snow has fallen or ice or sleet has accumulated, although the city generally has been reasonably lenient in regard to that time dictate. The police haven't — and shouldn't — stand around watching the clock so that 12 hours and 1 minute after a snow or ice event, they can begin knocking on doors and ordering property owners or occupants to shovel their sidewalk.

But some complaints in the city emanating from the recent spate of snow events should in the future prompt a more determined response from the police department, which is in charge of enforcing the snow- and ice-removal regulation, and the city government in general.

The place in the downtown business district that was the main target of complaints was the corner of South Main Street and East Jefferson Street — the sidewalks fronting the former Hot Dog Shop and Eckerd drugstore, as well as several other former businesses.

Snow and ice removal was ignored in that area during the recent storms, posing a hazard to pedestrians, including a woman with a Seeing Eye dog who one afternoon was seen on that treacherous section of sidewalk.

Those who complained about the condition of the sidewalks there wondered out loud why no one had taken charge to deal with the unacceptable conditions.

On Tuesday, city police Chief Tim Fennell said the local real estate company handling the sale of properties at the site — which eventually is to house part of the Centre City Project — was contacted about the dangerous conditions, and that that company had promised to send someone quickly to remove the snow and ice. However, the police took no further action when the real estate company failed to follow through on its promise.

In such situations, when a corrective-action order has been ignored, the city should stick to a policy of dispatching a city crew to clear snow and ice — and follow that up with a bill for the work being sent to the property owner or to the entity otherwise in charge of the property.

The city should not allow pedestrians to be put at risk, especially in the downtown business district, because of someone's unwillingness to comply with the reasonable sidewalk ordinance.

Presumably, there is much more winter weather on the way this year, and it is to be expected that road crews in the city and beyond will continue the good work they have performed up to now. But the spotlight must shine on sidewalks also.

It's right to extend some leniency when that is justified, but it's also important that persistent conditions like those that existed at South Main and East Jefferson streets during the past several weeks not be tolerated.

If a situation requires city crews and subsequent billing, so be it. It's a better option than someone being injured due to a fall that wouldn't have happened if this basic snow- and ice-removal requirement hadn't been ignored.