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February 9, 2010

City, county deal with winter woes again

By ANDY GOODELL

OSKALOOSA — It’s certainly not spring yet.

With snow totals expected to be near 10 inches in parts of Mahaska County today, winter weather isn’t going anywhere.

Just like with previous storms this winter, city of Oskaloosa and Mahaska County crews have been working hard to keep roadways clear.

“We’ve been through several of these,” said Mahaska County Engineer Jerry Nusbaum Monday morning. “Our concern is wind, obviously. With a light snow like this, we anticipate blizzard-like conditions. In zero viability, we caution everyone.”

Within Oskaloosa city limits, blowing snow may not be as big of a concern. However, clearing away large accumulations of snow is no easy task for city crews, as well. Beginning at 5 p.m. Monday, the city once again enacted their snow emergency ordinance, asking all residents to park their cars off of city streets to make it easier for plows to clear the roadways.

Like nearly every city statewide, Oskaloosa’s snow removal budget has been drained quite a bit. Oskaloosa City Manager Michael Schrock Jr. said crews are being urged to not work overtime, if at all possible, in order to save money.

Oskaloosa Public Works Director Akhilesh Pal agreed, saying it would take a significant snow emergency for city crews to work overtime.

“What’s going to happen is we will plow the streets today,” explained Pal in a Herald interview Monday morning. “We’ll come in early tomorrow. If after eight hours we have completed it, we will be done. It will depend on snow accumulations. If there are slick roads, we will stay out there.”

Nusbaum said county snow removal crews would take a similar plan of action Monday and today. He added, crews will utilize motograders, as well as a new piece of equipment to clear the county roadways. An industrial-sized snowblower mounted on a loader was expected to be used as needed, Nusbaum said.

Schrock said if the city were to run out of snow clearing funds, I-JOBS money could be used to make up the difference.

“We have to work within the parameters of the budget,” said Schrock. “We would have to make adjustments in the budget if we had to. I-JOBS money is something we could use.”

One of the most significant costs in clearing roadways, both city and county, comes in the sand and salt used to melt ice and provide vehicles with better traction. Both Schrock and Pal pointed out the use of these materials as being the major expenditures when clearing roads.

“We’re not panicked about it,” said Schrock of the snow removal budget. “Things are under control.”

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Herald City Editor Andy Goodell can be reached at news2@oskyherald.com

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