LAWRENCE: Towns save money in snowless winter

By Charley Falkenburg, Staff Writer
   The spurts of unseasonably warm weather and limited amount of snow this winter might be disheartening to children, but it’s bringing smiles to officials in public works departments.
   Officials in Princeton Borough and the townships of Princeton, Lawrence, Montgomery, Plainsboro and West Windsor confirmed that they continue to be well under their snow removal budgets — a welcome reprieve from the series of snow storms that happened last year.
   Lawrence has $83,000 in a trust account and $135,000 for the snow removal budget, totaling at $215,000. For heavy snowfalls that measure six inches and more, more money is spent on a snow plow contractor and extra resources.
   Last year Lawrence went over the budget, but was able to cover the additional money through the trust fund and other budget transfers. However, lack of snow has kept them under this year’s budget.
   Lawrence Township municipal manager Richard Krawczun estimated around $20,000 was spent on the Jan. 21 snow event.
   He emphasized Lawrence’s extensive program for snow removal, which begins in September. Salt domes are filled, equipment is repaired and prepared for winter, brine is made and used before certain snow events, supplies are stocked and all equipment is tested from snow blowers to plows and trucks.
   ”I’m quite proud of the snow removal effort conducted by our Public Works Department and the effort the men put in to clear our roads in an expedited manner,” he said.
   Art Villano, the director of Montgomery’s department, estimated the snow removal budget for this year is $135,000 for salt and overtime with an additional $135,000 for a snow plowing contract — which has hardly been touched.
   Mr. Villano described the budget as “flexible” and commended the department’s ability to maintain a flat budget for the last couple of years despite previous blizzards.
   To prepare for impending snowfalls, Montgomery’s department uses weather services that send daily emails and updates on the status of the weather. Mr. Villano added that as of now there are no big snowstorms in the long-term forecast.West Windsor is also under its $243,000 snow removal budget. The township spends additional money on a snowplowing contractor, but that amount varies between snowstorms.
   Director of the West Windsor department, Alex Drummond, estimated the department only spent around 12 hours on the minor Jan. 21 snow event and that it has yet to hit the payroll.
   ”I hope it stays the way it is,” said Mr. Drummond. “We’ll take the rain over the snow any day.”
   Plainsboro is also ahead of the game. Administrator Robert Sheehan said the township set a budget of $174,000 for this year — $10,000 less than what was spent in 2011.
   ”We are starting 2012 with a full supply of salt and related chemicals, so that cost going into the 2012 budget would be less than if the supplies were decreased,” said Mr. Sheehan.
   Right now Plainsboro uses a snowplowing contract that only plows the municipal center, but the DPW wants to expand the use of their contract service and phase in more contractors in the future.
   ”It’s a very important responsibility we have so we are being cautious and careful to provide quality service for our residents,” said Mr. Sheehan.
   Plainsboro doesn’t expect any crazy blizzards, but is taking extra measures to have more resources available. They are budgeting for additional contracted help and rental of additional equipment if needed.
   Princeton Borough public works director Wayne Carr estimated the borough’s budget is in the neighborhood of $50,000 — a budget that remains around the same every year.
   He emphasized that all plowing is done in house.
   ”We don’t go outside for anything — there are no contracts,” Mr. Carr added. “Outside people don’t know the town and how we plow. We try to plow around the clock to keep the snow off the ground as much as possible.”
   Mr. Carr expects to stay under the budget this year, but added the forecast could change any day. In preparation for any snowstorms, 300 tons of rock salt was purchased in December — an amount that Mr. Carr hopes will get the borough through the year.
   Princeton Township has a $100,000 operating budget that mainly takes care of salt and a separate budget for snow removal overtime. Overtime for snow removal is lumped together with all overtime situations, whether it is plowing or removing tree branches and brush. There has been no increase in either budget for three years.
   Superintendent of Princeton public works Donald Hansen said they used 2,000 tons of salt last year — pushing them over the salt budget, but have only used 300 tons so far for the last minor snowfall.The township’s main strategy in preparation for snow is to use a lot of salt before plowing — heavily salting particular problem streets like Cherry Hill Road, which is on an incline.
   Like the borough, the township does the plowing themselves.
   ”We’re all out there doing something, we have full control,” said Mr. Hansen. “In a four- to six-inch snowstorm, we can clear this town up in eight hours.”