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Public Works Departments Hope For Less Snow

December 17, 2008 - LAKES REGION -- While owners of ski areas and other local businesses may be hoping for snow, winter precipitation could cause budget problems for municipal public works departments.

The price of salt is up this winter, Lakes Region public works directors said, and with increased costs for fuel and overtime, a snowy winter could strap their budgets.

Roger Mosley, director of the Standish Public Works Department, said salt is $16 more per ton this year than last. The town typically goes through 2,400 tons of salt per winter. Costs for salt, fuel and overtime depend on the severity of the winter, Mosley said.

“It’s going to be close,” Mosley said. “We had projected a fair bit of increase going into the budget.”

Standish budgeted $1,056,903 for public works this year, $155,691 more than the last fiscal year.

The public works director in Bridgton, Jim Kidder, said he saw the same increase for salt as in Standish and also an increase in the cost of cutting edges for plows. He said last winter was an anomaly for the town.

“Basically, we had like two winters in one,” Kidder said, adding that he hoped for a lighter winter this year to stay within the $692,477 general public works budget, not including vehicle maintenance and capital expenditures. This number was up from $607,365 the previous year.

“It’s really up to Mother Nature,” Kidder said.

Dan Nowell, Sebago’s public works director, said his budget could be insufficient for a snowy year.

“If it’s anything like last year, it’s definitely going to put a strain on the budget,” Nowell said, adding that he's hoping for about half the snow as last winter.

Sebago budgeted $486,500 for public works this year, including $204,524 for snow removal. $181,625 was budgeted for snow removal for the previous fiscal year.

Though salt prices are up, heating oil and gasoline costs for all three towns are dropping with the market price. All three towns pay a set delivery fee over the price oil gets at the terminals.

By Julia Davis
Reporter - Lakes Region Weekly
December 11, 2008


Lakes:
Regions: Sebago


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