ARCTIC BLAST 2014: Monetary impact from last weekend’s storm good for some, bad for others

TERRE HAUTE The snow may be slowly melting away, but the bills from last weeks mega winter storm continue to pile higher.

Local governments were forced to spend big sums in employee overtime and fuel expenses to attempt to keep roads clear while Wabash Valley residents paid in dozens of other ways, including furnace repairs, unplanned stays in motels and towing fees.

Itll be tens of thousands of dollars for this one, said Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett, reflecting on the cost to the City. It was a pretty big storm.

Vigo County also faced big expenses from the storm, said Dan Bennett, superintendent of the county highway department. In addition to fuel and staffing costs, the county is also looking at five or six towing bills after a handful of plows became stuck during the storm, he said.

The overtime for this thing is going to be considerable, Dan Bennett said.

City and county snowplows were running 24 hours a day starting Sunday afternoon through Thursday, meaning lots of overtime pay and fuel expense. Final cost figures were not yet available, the mayor and the highway superintendent said.

Terre Haute sets aside enough money to pay for six big snow events each year, the mayor said. The storm that started a week ago counted for at least two storms, he added.

This is a big one, Mayor Bennett said. I dont think weve had one of these kinds of storms in 20 or 25 years.

Despite the high cost of the storm, Bennett did not believe it would necessarily push the City over its budgeted snow and ice removal budget for 2014. Of course, that will depend on the weather. Weve got plenty of money in [the budget] right now to deal with this, Bennett said. But what else will happen the rest of this winter or next December?

Dan Bennett, highway superintendent, said he plans to meet this week with the County Commissioners to discuss the costs of the storm. Hell look at specific budget numbers after we get out of the woods, he said.

Go here to read the rest:
ARCTIC BLAST 2014: Monetary impact from last weekend’s storm good for some, bad for others