The dramatic difference in cold weather from this year to last year is a relief for residents and city officials. The city is cutting major costs on winter weather maintenance.
Last year the Public Works department reported 33 inches of snow, but this year we've only seen a total of 7. What we don't see are the big bucks the city is saving. "What we spent on equipment, man power, overtime, salt, we're probably spending close to about $50,000 this year, where I think last year we spent closer, almost $300,000," said Saul Allen, Deputy Director of the Public Works department.
No snow means plow trucks and salt are at bay. So far the city's only used about 20% of salt used in the previous year. "It's all ordered and paid for this year so what it does do is allow us to reduce the amount we would actually have to order going into next year," said Allen.
The Utilities Department only had 4 calls of frozen water lines in what they say were the coldest temperatures last weekend. That's compared to nearly 200 in the same conditions last year. Less cold weather clean up means a jump start on other projects. "We have a lot of work due to our consent decree with the EPA on the sewer side where we have to get out and really clean so much sewer every month, every two months, every three months," said Michael Caprella, Deputy Director of Utilities, "We're able to do a lot more of that work right now." Allen said, "We started brushing out alleys, meaning trimming some of the trees and stuff that are in alleys, you know a lot of times, like I said we don't get started with that stuff until late March or April."
The only downside to the savings, employees are losing thousands of dollars in overtime hours.
