Heavy area snowfalls during holidays and on weekends have generated jitters among those minding snow removal budgets, but some are still optimistic.
The Citizen file photo
Snow flys in Auburn on Dec. 19. Early snowstorms with heavy accumulations have eaten away at area snow-removal budgets.
Snow flys in Auburn on Dec. 19. Early snowstorms with heavy accumulations have eaten away at area snow-removal budgets.
With a record snowfall of 11.2 inches on New Year's Eve in Auburn, Superintendent of Public Works Gerald DelFavero has been checking his budget figures for the new year.
“There's no fluff in that budget,” DelFavero said. He said it was a little early in the year to be spending so much money on snow removal and that having a full crew on during a holiday storm or on weekends costs the city even more.
“I'm hoping to get a break for another four weeks,” he said. “Our salt usage and plowing has increased dramatically from what was done years ago,” he said.
DelFavero said his employees begin with a full 12-hour shift and then move to a five-person crew keeps the main roads clear. At 3 a.m. the full crew is at work again, especially important during weekdays when school buses have to get through early in the morning.
Not only is plowing the steady snowfall time consuming, it's also tough on equipment, he said.
“Mechanics are just as important as the snow plow operators,” he said. “It's not cheap to remove snow.” DelFavero budgets about $170,000 a year including salt. Auburn has a state contract for $32 to $34 per ton for salt, and the salt barn is kept as full as possible.
“I usually don't get this nervous until the end of February, when I've got to sweat it out,” he said.
Alternate side parking is still a problem in the city, though. Often the police have to be called or plows just don't get through.
“We're constantly battling everywhere,” he said. “It takes cooperation with everybody.”
With New Year's Eve and New Year's Day both falling on odd days in a row, DelFavero said, plowing around parked cars was a little tougher.
“When we have 2 inches of snow we're out on the road,” he said. “We try to do the best we can with 108 miles of road to plow in the city.”
The crew plows each road about three times per snow event. People want the snow off the roads as quickly as possible, he said.
As for money-saving plans, the city tries to average previous years and hope their estimate is close. Two new plows are needed for the trucks at about $5,000 to $6,000 each, and a new transmission for one of the trucks costs $12,000.
“You can't plan for tires or brakes going,” DelFavero said. “There's always room for improvement, but it comes at a price.”
And if the department goes over budget? “If we do, we do,” he said. “We'll deal with it just like we have in the past.”
This December's total snowfall of 38.3 inches for the city was a little more than half of the record of 56.2 inches for December 2007, when road crews had to deal with salt shortages as on-and-off icing created salting issues.
Both Cayuga County's highway superintendent, George Wethey, and DelFavero said working overtime puts a dent in the budget. Not only does it affect highway personnel but office workers have to hustle to staff phones and keep records.
Wethey said so far he hasn't had any problem getting the materials he needs to maintain the roads.
“Even though it was a little tough on New Year's Eve for the guys who stayed here,” he said, “we managed to get through that OK.” He added that if the storm hits again on the weekend, with the same kind of on-and-off activity, it will take priority and the work schedule could change.
Wethey said the county's salt contract for this year went up 16 percent just to maintain the level of service provided last year. Money-saving strategies include adding magnesium chloride to the salt mix to make it more effective in extreme cold. Last year when supplies were low, abrasives were added to the salt mixture.
“Generally, it seems last year there was a lot of ice, and this year more snow,” Wethey said. The county doesn't really track levels of snow and ice from year to year.
“We've been pretty mellow here,” he said. “Things have been relatively good.” He called New Year's Day “just another day.”
“We have to come back the next day,” he said.
As for the rest of the year, Wethey, who has been on the job for the past ten years, was optimistic.
“I don't think it'll be too bad,” he said. “You've go to think positive, right?
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
“There's no fluff in that budget,” DelFavero said. He said it was a little early in the year to be spending so much money on snow removal and that having a full crew on during a holiday storm or on weekends costs the city even more.
“I'm hoping to get a break for another four weeks,” he said. “Our salt usage and plowing has increased dramatically from what was done years ago,” he said.
DelFavero said his employees begin with a full 12-hour shift and then move to a five-person crew keeps the main roads clear. At 3 a.m. the full crew is at work again, especially important during weekdays when school buses have to get through early in the morning.
Not only is plowing the steady snowfall time consuming, it's also tough on equipment, he said.
“Mechanics are just as important as the snow plow operators,” he said. “It's not cheap to remove snow.” DelFavero budgets about $170,000 a year including salt. Auburn has a state contract for $32 to $34 per ton for salt, and the salt barn is kept as full as possible.
“I usually don't get this nervous until the end of February, when I've got to sweat it out,” he said.
Alternate side parking is still a problem in the city, though. Often the police have to be called or plows just don't get through.
“We're constantly battling everywhere,” he said. “It takes cooperation with everybody.”
With New Year's Eve and New Year's Day both falling on odd days in a row, DelFavero said, plowing around parked cars was a little tougher.
“When we have 2 inches of snow we're out on the road,” he said. “We try to do the best we can with 108 miles of road to plow in the city.”
The crew plows each road about three times per snow event. People want the snow off the roads as quickly as possible, he said.
As for money-saving plans, the city tries to average previous years and hope their estimate is close. Two new plows are needed for the trucks at about $5,000 to $6,000 each, and a new transmission for one of the trucks costs $12,000.
“You can't plan for tires or brakes going,” DelFavero said. “There's always room for improvement, but it comes at a price.”
And if the department goes over budget? “If we do, we do,” he said. “We'll deal with it just like we have in the past.”
This December's total snowfall of 38.3 inches for the city was a little more than half of the record of 56.2 inches for December 2007, when road crews had to deal with salt shortages as on-and-off icing created salting issues.
Both Cayuga County's highway superintendent, George Wethey, and DelFavero said working overtime puts a dent in the budget. Not only does it affect highway personnel but office workers have to hustle to staff phones and keep records.
Wethey said so far he hasn't had any problem getting the materials he needs to maintain the roads.
“Even though it was a little tough on New Year's Eve for the guys who stayed here,” he said, “we managed to get through that OK.” He added that if the storm hits again on the weekend, with the same kind of on-and-off activity, it will take priority and the work schedule could change.
Wethey said the county's salt contract for this year went up 16 percent just to maintain the level of service provided last year. Money-saving strategies include adding magnesium chloride to the salt mix to make it more effective in extreme cold. Last year when supplies were low, abrasives were added to the salt mixture.
“Generally, it seems last year there was a lot of ice, and this year more snow,” Wethey said. The county doesn't really track levels of snow and ice from year to year.
“We've been pretty mellow here,” he said. “Things have been relatively good.” He called New Year's Day “just another day.”
“We have to come back the next day,” he said.
As for the rest of the year, Wethey, who has been on the job for the past ten years, was optimistic.
“I don't think it'll be too bad,” he said. “You've go to think positive, right?
Staff writer Kathleen Barran can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 238 or kathleen.barran@lee.net
