How Did Weston's Snow Budget Fare This Winter?

Punxsutawney Phil was wrong. Winter definitely decided to linger this year. But it didn't just take a toll on drivers' patience, it hit Weston's pocketbook as well.

Weston Department of Public Works Director of Operations Bob Hoffman said Weston went right through the $253,000 allocated to the Fiscal Year 2013 snow budget. In fact, Hoffman said, the department is probably over that amount by $270,000, which would bring the total snow expenditures to $523,000 for the fiscal year. The extra cash was allocated from the town's free cash reserves.

Still, Hoffman said, that's nothing compared to the winter of 2010-2011, when Weston spent almost $800,000 on removal and cleanup of the 84 inches of snow that fell that season.

This winter, Hoffman said, his crews have cleared 74.5 inches of snow from Weston's streets and public areas.

"We've had six full plowing operations, and 34 de-icing events where we've had the sanders out this year," Hoffman said.

Just those six plowing operations have added up to 65 hours worth of labor for the contractors working for the town. The contractors clocked 27 of those hours just on the blizzard alone.

Hoffman said the town's salt shed is nearly full, which is the ideal way to leave it at the end of a season.

"Otherwise you start out the year possibly having to throw a few thousand dollars into the shed and you start with your snow budget in arrears," Hoffman explained. Plus, he added, there's no telling how much the salt/sand mixture will cost in the future. Right now, he said, it's fairly inexpensive at $47.43 per ton, but he's seen it as high as $80 a ton.

Even with the busy season it's been, Hoffman is able to compare it to winter two years ago and realize Weston hasn't fared too badly.

"Every time we had a snow storm, the previous snow had melted," Hoffman said. "Especially the big blizzard, there was no snow on the ground at all. We're not doing bad compared to two years ago."