Increase in funding granted for snow removal

Times Reporter   

 

The end of fall proved to be a blustery one as Southern Alberta was hit with snowfall after snowfall. A winter storm came in mid-November, followed by a significant blizzard on Dec. 2 that saw road crews still clearing snow right up to Christmas.  

Jesse Parker, director of operations and engineering for the Town of Strathmore, came to council with a request for additional funding on Dec. 18. 

In the 2013 budget $50,000 had been allocated for contracted services. Before the storm had hit on Dec. 2 there was only approximately $30,000 of that budget still available.  

“A majority of that was the November storm that we had in the middle of November, we spent approximately $12,000 responding to that and with trucking services along with to haul snow from roadways in town,” said Parker. 

For the Dec. 2 storm, a number of additional pieces of equipment were utilized to plow, pile and remove the snow, which took a significant amount of effort and money. There were three crew deployed, and on average the Town’s contracted service has been one grader, four loaders and 12 trucks, which cost approximately $8,000 per day.

On Dec. 11 contracted services were stopped other than the use of four or five trucks to help with removal. 

Parker said he estimates that $102,000 will be needed prior to the minor snowfall on Dec. 18. 

Each year the amount spent on contracted help fluctuates with the snow. In 2009 $163,918 was spent and in 2011 that figure was approximately $45,000. 

When asked how he thinks the roads crew is doing in terms of removal, Parker said he thinks they are doing great. 

“I think on our roads we have done an excellent job,” said Parker. “Unfortunately it has resulted in some costs and I think when previous council reduced the budget on contracted service we acknowledged at that time in the event that we had a major event we would need some additional funds to really respond in the residential areas that way that we have to clear the roadways in essence in town,” 

Parker said the goal is to remove as much snow as possible citing that the Ranch area, part of Wildflower Ranch and Cambridge Glen are still on that list. 

A motion was made to grant an additional $50,000 with funds to be drawn from the financial stabilization reserve.