Politics & Government

Snow Costs Piling Up Too Fast to Count

The storms have set Westport back approximately $675,000 with no respite forecast.

Snow, ice and rain depleted the town’s winter fund . Now, the costs are piling up too fast to count.

“Budget wise, I can’t even add them up that quickly,” said Stephen Edwards, director of the Department of Public Works. “Every three, four or five days we’re getting another storm.”

Originally, $410,000 was allocated to this year’s snow removal fund, which is an average of the costs from the past several years. With one storm after another, Edwards estimates $675,000 has been spent already.

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This weekend’s forecast calls for more snow and ice, which will further put the town in the red. Eventually, Edwards will seek an appropriation from the Board of Finance to cover all the costs. Although the fund is dry, snow removal will continue in full force.

As Edwards explained to the Board of Finance on Wednesday night, only 20 percent of the money goes toward plowing the streets. The 123 miles of roads in town are handled by 17 Department of Public Works employees already on the payroll. They've netted approximately $74,000 in overtime.

Find out what's happening in Westportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bulk of the money, said Edwards, goes to contractors.

“The tremendous costs that they’re incurring right now are parking lots. School parking lots and downtown parking lots,” he said.

 Snow removal can cost upwards of $2,500 an hour, according to the town website.

While the weather has hit Westport’s finances hard, it’s also taken a toll on the employees working long hours.

“I got some very tired employees,” said Edwards.


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