SOUTHWICK — After four snow events this winter, it’s clear that when Town Meeting convenes in May, it will have to dip into free cash to pay off the deficit spending the town is incurring to keep the town’s roads and streets clear.
And after the last two storms, including the one over the Jan. 24 weekend, the total is going to continue to climb.
“It’s going to be a big one,” said DPW Director Rich Bosak about the weekend storm, which saw over 18 inches of snow fall.
“The guys are still busy pushing back the intersections,” Bosak said on Jan. 27.
He, like the Select Board members, commended the DPW crew and the private contractors.
“They did a fabulous job. And it was some very long hours,” Bosak said.
Select Board member Doug Moglin gave “kudos” to everyone for the effort.
“Kudos to those guys for really slugging it out. And our contractors and partners that showed up and did their best with what was going on. That was a lot of snow,” Moglin said, with board members Diane Gale and Russ Anderson agreeing.
Chief Administrative Officer Nicole Parker also recognized DPW’s effort.
“We want to recognize and thank our DPW for an outstanding job responding to this major winter storm. Plowing through nearly two feet of snow over the course of multiple days is no small task, and their professionalism, endurance, and commitment to public safety truly showed,” she said.
Bosak said his crews started at about 9 a.m. on Jan. 25 and continued, non-stop, until 6 p.m. on Jan. 26.
“It was 33 hours straight, including during the storm,” he said, adding that the DPW’s equipment held up “great.”
The salt shed is already empty from the six storms the DPW has had to handle.
“We’re getting more this week,” Bosak said, adding that it is a bit cheaper than last year.
Since the winter started, the DPW has submitted reports on the cost of each storm to the Select Board.
The first storm on Dec. 2, which finished with 5 inches of snow, cost the town $32,478. That included $12,530 for 121 tons of salt, 76 hours of overtime for $2,410 and $16,537 for private contractors.
Six inches of snow fell on Dec. 26, costing the town a total of $43,896, including $12,530 for 121 tons of salt, 192 hours of overtime for $8,722 and $22,642 for the contractors.
There was also a snow event on Dec. 29, leaving behind 2 inches of snow, which cost $19,094, including $7,570 for 73 tons of salt, $2,844 for overtime and $8,680 for contractors.
And on Jan. 1, after 1.5 inches of snow fell, it cost $19,804 to clear it, including $7,899 for 76 tons of salt, $3,224 for overtime and $8,690 for contractors.
Each year, Town Meeting approves $111,500 for snow and ice removal, using that figure as essentially a placeholder in the budget because there’s no way to estimate what will end up being spent. But spending so far has already exceeded the placeholder by $3,773 as of Jan. 1.
From now until spring, the town will be deficit spending for snow and ice removal, which is the only line item in the budget that the state allows municipalities to deficit spend.
That deficit spending amount is always Article 2 on the May Town Meeting warrant, and last year it was $270,000, which meant taxpayers were on the hook for $381,500.
Over the past 10 years, the town has spent an average of $300,000 each year to keep the streets clear, which totaled $3 million.
However, the final cost has been as high as nearly $411,000 in 2018, and as low as $141,500 in 2016, according to the town’s Finance Committee annual report.
When plows are out pushing snow, mailboxes will occasionally be damaged, either by a direct plow strike or by heavy, wet snow being pushed into a single box or bank of boxes along the right-of-way, Bosak said.
According to the town’s snow and ice policy, mailbox owners should check the post annually to ensure sturdiness and that the box is securely attached to the post.
Plow drivers are required to report when they believe they have damaged a mailbox. But there are occasions when the drivers don’t know they’ve hit one.
“Provided the mailbox does not intrude or hang over onto the paved portion of road, if a mailbox is damaged, the homeowner shall report this to DPW at 413-569-6772 within 36 hours of the storm to ensure proper investigation by the DPW director or his/her designee,” according to town’s policy.
Bosak said when there is a report made, the department will investigate to determine if the cause of damage was from a plow strike, pushed snow or if the post was rotted or cracked.
The town will only replace mailboxes and posts if there is evidence of a direct plow strike, according to the town’s policy. Bosak said the DPW keeps a couple of new mailboxes and posts on hand to issue as replacements after a plow strike.
The town also recommends homeowners protect their boxes using an “A-frame” post or sheet of plywood.
Parking bans are usually issued during a storm. The town notifies residents by posting the ban on the Police Department’s Facebook site and on the town’s website.
Bosak said that for the most part, residents follow the ban.
