Let it snow, and snow, and snow
Published on February 19th, 2003
STONEHAM, MA-The white stuff just keeps on coming down as Stoneham suffered its worst snowstorm in five years on Presidents Day, Monday, February 17. Though it coincided with a federal holiday and February vacation for the Stoneham public schools and allowed many to sit home and watch, the approximately 17 inches represented the largest snowfall since the April Fool’s Day blizzard of 1997 (a positive though for those waiting for an early spring).
The snow, as always, represented a challenge to the snow and ice removal forces of the Department of Public Works. The sanders began running at approximately 11 a.m. on Monday morning, and many of the 48 town employed (24) and sub-contracted plow operators (24) were on the road by 1 p.m.
“We try to put a layer of salt down on the main roads to try and keep traffic moving, and then, once it builds up, we switch over to the plows,” said Stoneham DPW Director Bob Grover. “Once we’re all done plowing, then we go back to the sand and the salt on the main drags and the hills...those get the priorities, obviously.”
The plow drivers then worked anywhere from 19-26 hours during the height of the blizzard removing snow and clearing the streets for street traffic.
“We sent all the contracted guys home at about 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, some of our (DPW) guys went home at 9:30 a.m. and then everybody else was home by 3:30 p.m.,” said Grover.
“You have to figure that some of these gentlemen worked close to the 30 hour range, and you have to look at them closely after about 16 hours,” added Grover. “At that point, your judgement isn’t that good...your reactions aren’t that good...your eyesight isn’t that good, so we monitor things closely.”
According to Grover, the snow and ice removal budget was in the red approximately $30,000 prior to the President’s Day storm, and he estimates that this week’s storm cost the town approximately $40,000.
“After this is all cleaned up, we’re going to be in the hole for approximately $70-75,000,” said Grover. “That doesn’t count any damage we did, anything we have to replace, or any damage to the equipment.”
Grover also requested several things that the people of Stoneham can do a few things to make the next week easier for the DPW workers.
“Number one would be shovel out the fire hydrants if they are near the house, and number two would be to shovel out any nearby catch basins,” said Grover. “We have some warm weather in the forecast, so that could cause flooding and a whole host of other problems.”
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