Published in the March 14, 2018 edition

By MARK SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — Even before a single flake had fallen from yesterday’s storm, the town had already exceeded the budget allotted for snow and ice removal this year.

On the eve of Tuesday’s blizzard, DPW Director Richard Stinson was in front of the Board of Selectmen seeking a $300,000 overdraft for the Snow and Ice Budget.

As of March 5, the DPW had expended an estimated $781,066 on snow removal. That amount did not include the March 7 storm, which left 9.5 inches of heavy, wet snow and caused widespread tree damage.

The amount appropriated by Town Meeting for this winter’s snow and ice removal was $750,000. The FY 2018 Snow and Ice Budget request was based on a winter with seven plowing operations and 20 sand/salt operations.

According to Stinson, the DPW had responded to a total of 19 storm events this winter, of which seven have required plowing, prior to the nor’easter last Thursday. The DPW also performed two hauling operations, removing mountains of plowed snow from street corners at various locations and has dealt with numerous storm-related tree issues.

Stinson had originally planned to request a $200,000 overdraft, but seeing the forecast of yesterday’s major storm, Stinson upped the amount to $300,000 when he went before the selectmen Monday night. The Selectmen approved the requested overdraft.

Stinson said that, not including yesterday’s storm, the town has received 53.5 inches of snow this winter. And he noted that there are at about three weeks of winter remaining.

As he has often stressed, Stinson told the selectmen that a realistic snow removal budget for an average winter season (55 inches of snow) would be on the order of $1,257,186. Adding in what is certain to be a substantial cost associated with yesterday’s storm, the town will be close to, if not over the $1 million mark.

Stinson told the selectmen that if the $300,000 overdraft amount is not fully needed the funds will not be expended and the unspent amount will not impact the FY 2019 tax rate.

After yesterday, the chances of that happening went down precipitously.