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<br />~ <br /> <br />SNOW REMOVAL <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Provides for the removal and disposal of snow and for the control of ice <br />on streets, municipally owned parking lots, and city pathways. <br /> <br />2000 BUDGET COMPARED WITH 1999 BUDGET <br /> <br />This departmental budget is: <br /> <br />- Proposed in the amount of $160,750; <br />- A $36,200 increase compared to the adopted 1999 budget; <br />- Approximately 2.75% of the total general fund expenditures. <br /> <br />The personal services expenditure category for snow removal activity is <br />projected at $119,550. This is a $30,500 increase over the adopted 1999 <br />budget. This figure is based on 20 percent of the street/park crew time <br />(excluding the two full time employees allocated for the equipment services <br />program.) It should be noted that only the actual time spent for snow <br />removal activities get charged to this departmental budget. If less time by <br />the street/park crew is spent on snow removal activities, then the other <br />departments of streets, parks, or equipment services, will get charged based . <br />on the activities and projects being undertaken by the department. The <br />highest actual expenses for the entire budget was in 1996 when the total <br />reached almost $108,000, and of this amount, approximately $74,000 was for <br />personal services. <br /> <br />In the 1996-97 snow removal season, the city began contracting out services <br />to a private vendor for snow removal in some of the city's cul-de-sacs. This <br />program proved to be successful and is scheduled to increase this upcoming <br />snow season in order to provide better service to the public. This approach to <br />snow removal service also delays the purchase of additional city equipment <br />and adding personnel. <br /> <br />There is a general misconception among the public that if the city has a light <br />snow season, then the city saves a great deal of money. This is not true <br />because most of our snow removal expense is related to city employee time <br />and, as noted above, if this time is not dedicated toward snow removal <br />services, then the time is charged to another city department based on the <br />activities undertaken. The actual savings in the snow removal budget during <br />a light winter has to do with operating supplies and needing less sand/salt <br />and fewer cutting edges for the snowplows. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />42 <br />