Snow Removal

andrews@herald-mail.com The City of Hagerstown is pushing a new approach to shoveling: volunteerism. The city is looking for people to dig out other people's sidewalks when a snowstorm hits. John Lestitian, the city's chief code enforcement officer, said it's the first time the city has tried to create a volunteer bank of this sort. "People will accept it as if it's their own walk," he said. "This is a great supplement, where neighbors help neighbors. " In a few weeks, the Washington County Commission on Aging will start asking people who need shoveling help to sign up, too. To be eligible for the free service, people must: · Be at least 60 years old · Be unable to pay for snow removal · Be physically unable to clear snow · Have no household member who can clear snow Sidewalk snow removal became a hot issue in the city last winter.

Hagerstown city officials have changed the way they are enforcing the city's snow removal ordinance. Officials recently began enforcing the long-standing code, and have charged some city property owners more than $200 for inspectors to visit the property and a contractor to clear snow from sidewalks. The Ordinance A city ordinance requires property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks within four to 10 hours after the end of precipitation, depending where the property lies within the line defined by Church Street, East Avenue, Mulberry Street, Baltimore Street and Prospect Street.

scottb@herald-mail.com The snowstorms this winter have cost Washington County at least $600,000 more than the $500,000 that was budgeted for snow-related costs, Washington County Public Works Director Gary Rohrer said Thursday. Meanwhile, the City of Hagerstown is an estimated $120,000 over its $310,000 snow removal budget, Hagerstown Finance Director Alfred Martin said Thursday. The city will try to cut costs and delay purchasing some items to make up for the higher-than-expected snow budget expenses, Martin said.

The smaller winter storms that blanketed Washington County recently might be more tolerable than last winter's blizzards, but they are threatening local snow-removal budgets. Based on midwinter assessments, some governmental jurisdictions are likely to exceed fiscal year 2011 budgeted expenses for materials needed to keep streets passable. "Small storm or big storm, you have to treat the roads," said Eric Deike, Hagerstown's manager of public works. Many jurisdictions exceeded or doubled budgeted expenses for snow removal last winter.

SMITHSBURG -- Smithsburg Town Council members agreed Tuesday night to keep the same contractor for snow removal during the coming winter, Town Manager Betsy Martin said Wednesday. Council members agreed to hire Brian Semler to conduct snow removal. Martin did not have a cost of the contract because she said there are different rates for various types of equipment that might have to be used.

If I didn't think we'd get pounded with another winter storm this season, I'd let the controversy over Hagerstown's snow removal ordinance blow over until next fall. But there were several significant developments during the past week, in addition to an interesting twist on what the city pays someone to clear some of its own sidewalks. First, the city should be applauded for its decision to refund the $100 administrative fee to property owners who were billed before the city changed the way it enforces its snow removal law last week.

gregs@herald-mail.com For those who complained about icy sidewalks in front of the former Washington Spy Restaurant, the third time was the charm. City code enforcers sent a $140 bill this week to the owners of the building at 33 E. Antietam St. after a city contractor cleared snow and ice from sidewalks there Jan. 30, according to information provided by the City Code Compliance Office. Councilman N. Linn Hendershot, who has championed the city's efforts to enforce snow removal for the sake of public safety, said he was pleased to hear that.

gregs@herald-mail.com The money set aside by the City of Hagerstown for this year's snow-removal efforts is effectively gone, even as the area braces for another snowstorm this weekend. "Basically, our (snow) budget's shot," City Public Works Manager Eric Deike said Friday. Deike and City Assistant Finance Director Ray Foltz said snow removal will continue as needed, but the money will have to come from other places in the city's budget. Weather forecasters predicted an inch of snow accumulation for today.

SHARPSBURG - The Town of Sharpsburg had to shell out $9,125 for snow removal following the President's Day weekend snowstorm, Mayor Hal Spielman said. The town normally hires a contractor only to clear alleys, if anything, but the storm was so big that the town required help clearing main intersections and hauling away snow, Spielman said. State Highway Administration plows clear Sharpsburg Pike (Md. 65) and Shepherdstown Pike (Md. 34), Spielman said. Washington County Highway Department plows usually clear the side streets but due to equipment breakdown and a busy schedule, the town required extra help, he said.

marlob@herald-mail.com As the weekend's 32-inch snowfall disappeared from Clear Spring's side streets, it was being replaced with red ink. "There was only $900 left in the town's $3,000 snow removal budget for this year as of the January meeting," said Town Clerk Juanita Grimm. The cost for removing this latest, record-breaking accumulation had topped $5,000 as of Tuesday afternoon and was still climbing, she said. Clear Spring owns no snow removal equipment, preferring instead to contract with Hamby Brothers for snow removal at the rate of $70 per hour.

The mild weather the area has experienced so far this winter has resulted in an accumulation of a different sort in Washington County. Hagerstown and county officials say their salt bins are full following only one light snowfall this calendar year. “I would say we're definitely ahead of the game at this point,” Hagerstown Public Works Manager Eric Deike said. “But most of our snow comes in January and February. We're definitely not out of the woods.” Deike said the city has spent $13,700 on salt since this fiscal year began July 1. During that time, the city salted when a premature snow storm struck on Halloween and after a light dusting on Jan. 3. He said the city is typically well above that cost around this time of year.

The winter storm that blanketed Hagerstown's roadways with more than 4 inches of snow Monday night and early Tuesday left some motorists wondering why more wasn't done to clear the streets before rush hour. On East Franklin Street in front of City Hall, several vehicles were spinning their wheels Tuesday morning as drivers tried to make it up a small hill that was covered with slush and packed snow. Joshua Babcock said he and his wife, Jessica, were downtown to pay bills. "The roads down here ... they're hardly plowed," Joshua Babcock said.

The smaller winter storms that blanketed Washington County recently might be more tolerable than last winter's blizzards, but they are threatening local snow-removal budgets. Based on midwinter assessments, some governmental jurisdictions are likely to exceed fiscal year 2011 budgeted expenses for materials needed to keep streets passable. "Small storm or big storm, you have to treat the roads," said Eric Deike, Hagerstown's manager of public works. Many jurisdictions exceeded or doubled budgeted expenses for snow removal last winter.

Antrim exceeds budget on snow removal GREENCASTLE, Pa. - Antrim Township will pave only five roads in 2010 because heavy snowfall this past winter forced the road crews to exceed the budgeted amount by 223 percent, officials said. Township Administrator Brad Graham told township supervisors Tuesday evening that Antrim has spent $65,799 on road maintenance, snow removal and ice removal. Two major storms kept crews working on the roads for days this winter. The 2010 budget allotted $29,500 for maintenance, snow removal and ice removal, Graham said.

WAYNESBORO, PA. -- Franklin County, Pa., submitted a detailed application to have snow-removal costs from February reimbursed by the federal government. The application was completed in early March, but additional work must be completed with it, Emergency Services Director Dave Donohue said. Notification about the reimbursement amount probably will take a few months, he said. "Between everyone, the county and municipalities, we submitted just under $800,000," Donohue said.

HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. -- Behind the steering wheel of a dark blue tri-axle dump truck on the afternoon of Dec. 22, Staff Sgt. Josh Michael waited as a fellow airman operating a backhoe scooped up another load of snow from a street in downtown Harpers Ferry. By the end of the day, an estimated 100 tons of snow were expected to be removed from the streets and sidewalks. When Michael wasn't unloading the snow in the parking lot of the Hilltop House Hotel and Restaurant off East Ridge Street, he was clearing it from the streets with the dump truck's plow.

HAGERSTOWN -- Washington County spent more than $7,000 to pull snow-removal trucks out of ditches after last weekend's snowstorm, and the cost statewide of removing snow from the record storm is nearing $27 million, local and state officials said Tuesday. Washington County Public Schools canceled classes for Wednesday, the third straight day schools have been closed as a result of the storm that left as much as 24 inches of snow in some parts of Washington County. The county was still tallying its expenses from the storm, but they were "significant," Washington County Public Works Director Joseph Kroboth III told the Washington County Commissioners on Tuesday.

HAGERSTOWN -- The Maryland State Highway Administration will use salt brine on roads this winter to increase motorist safety. Tony Crawford, State Highway Administration engineer for Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties, said Wednesday during a press conference that brine will be sprayed on the road before salt is spread. As a result, the salt will become moist and more adherent to the pavement, he said. "Snow removal is our No. 1 priority, especially this time of year," Crawford said.

SMITHSBURG -- Smithsburg Town Council members agreed Tuesday night to keep the same contractor for snow removal during the coming winter, Town Manager Betsy Martin said Wednesday. Council members agreed to hire Brian Semler to conduct snow removal. Martin did not have a cost of the contract because she said there are different rates for various types of equipment that might have to be used.

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Eric Deike, Hagerstown's public works manager, hears the superlatives every year. "The coming winter will be the harshest" or "the coldest" or "the winteriest" of all time. "I don't pay attention to it," he said. The bottom line: When snow falls, the city will clear the roads. The same is true for Washington County. "We anticipate continuing regular snow removal maintenance as needed," said Edwin Plank, the county's highway department director.