In
January, residents expect to see their town trucks with plows keeping the roads
safe and clear, but this year the plow trucks aren’t as busy as in past years,
saving money in the budget and wear and tear on the trucks.
In
Raymond, most of the plowing is contracted out to P&K Sand and Gravel.
P&K plows 40 miles of Raymond’s 50 plus miles of road.
The
town has a $180,000 contract with P&K for winter plowing. Public works
director Nathan White estimates that he spends $40,000 on winter sand, $60,000
on salt and $15,000 on over time and fuel most winters.
“We’d
be happy if it didn’t snow,” White said. With a cold winter, they’re not
heating as much and it helps the whole public works budget.
Although
Raymond doesn’t break out its winter budget from the year long budget, the
amount of supplies and money that will roll into other items is substantial.
White estimates his budget on a winter like last year. When he plans for a
harsh winter, and there is less ice and snow, he is able to have money to even
out the heavy winters that have more overtime or higher fuel costs.
“Fuel
and overtime are the only wildcards. I have to budget every year for fuel,” he
said.
White
runs a staff of four fulltime employees and two additional part-timers in the
summer for grounds and maintenance. When it’s not snowing, the crew works on
maintenance of buildings and equipment, especially summer equipment. They do
some brush cutting and sign repairs. Although the vehicles at public works are
relatively new, the small equipment needs constant repairs. “The town’s been
very generous in the last year or two,” said White.
The
public works crew is also busy with sign maintenance. People keep stealing the
town’s stop and street signs, he said. It cost approximately $100 each to
replace the stolen stop signs.
The
challenges in public works are to “try to get done everything that everyone
wants us to do with the small stuff to keep everybody happy and satisfied,”
White said. “My guys do an outstanding job getting done what has to be done in
a timely manner. We always have work.”
The
trend in public works is to contract out the plowing, said White. Twenty-five
years ago, Raymond contracted out all of the plowing. In 1997, the town started
plowing to keep the staff busy during the winter. They now plow parking lots
and other town sites. RSU14 set the plowing of Jordan-Small Middle School and
Raymond Elementary School out to bid recently.
The
community is very supportive of the work Raymond Public Works does. “They
respect what we do and work with us. People in town are great to work with,”
White said. “My whole staff appreciates the support from the town. I’m happy to
serve the town.”
Raymond
is getting ready to pave roads with a paving bond that was approved by voters.
The paving is subcontracted out with Raymond Public Works doing the ditching
and culverts, according to White. For the last two years the town has been
doing aggressive paving, he added.
“There’s
nothing good about winter as it relates to the roads,” White said, making the need
for road work more pressing.
