Recent weather straining snow removal budget
By Doug Grindle Community Reporter

Marlborough - By the third week of January, repeated winter storms have driven Marlborough's Department of Public Works (DPW) to spend over 80 percent of the snow removal budget allocated for the entire year. As of Jan. 17, the DPW has spent $412,458 out of a budget of $500,000.

City officials said it is almost impossible for administrators to precisely forecast the snow removal budget, and it is set at $500,000 as a general set-aside, which may or may not reflect the needs of that year.

"Depending on the winter, you're going to get more or less snow," Assistant Commissioner for Operations Thomas Temple said. "It doesn't take much to go through that."

This year, 36 inches have fallen so far.

"This has been a record year for us so far as snow accumulation," Temple said. "This has been on target with the hardest-hit winters so far."

This is the first year Temple has served as assistant commissioner.

So far the city has seen seven snowstorms, and workers and equipment have to be sent out if the conditions warrant it, even if it is not snowing. Icy roads, crosswalks, ramps and stairways all have to be treated.

"We sand and salt and scrape the roads if the temperature is going to remain below 32 degrees," Temple said. "The total number of events we've had so far is 24 - which is sand and salting and plowing operations, everything totaled up."

The city has re-organized its snow operations, creating a separate sector for the downtown area. Previously there were four sectors across the city, with the downtown split among them. Now there are five, and the downtown area is its own sector. Each sector is assigned a foreman, and the result of the reorganization is to put more emphasis on clearing the downtown area.

"It's been working really well this year with that fifth section," Temple said. "You have another set of eyes out on those routes. We can make sure we take care of the whole downtown business area and commuting area, where people may be trying to get to the buildings and merchants downtown."

Marlborough covers 25 square miles, and recent developments have made it more difficult to keep the roads and walkways clear. The amount of roadway has increased by about 25 percent over the last eight years, Temple said. Meanwhile, the number of DPW employees has shrunk.

"We are probably down nine employees from seven or eight years ago," Temple said. "It makes it kind of tough."

During every snowstorm, about 90 people are out working, driving equipment, inspecting roads, and shoveling stairs and walkways. Once three inches of snow has fallen, the city begins to plow. It augments city workers with private contractors.

"For a general sanding, we have sand routes with 19 sections and, of that, 11 of the 19 are private contractors."

The staffing issue can be complicated if people are taken away from the roads and set to clearing fallen branches. DPW employees are also responsible for digging graves, and the business of funerals can further reduce staff during a winter weather event.

"It's a juggling act but everyone's working really hard to make sure everything is covered and all the sections are completed," Temple said.