Winter control costs down in first quarter

The unpredictable nature of weather makes budgeting for winter road maintenance as close to gambling as anything a municipality does. Sometimes, even what constitutes a win is relative.

Treasurer Gordon Duff  reported at the May 19 council meeting a “positive variation” in this year’s winter control budget saw “only” 85 per cent of the 2015 allocation used up by the end of March.

“Which is not great, and we probably will be over, but a year ago in the first quarter it was 142 per cent. So, bad, but not nearly a disaster,” said Duff. “I’m sure you remember 2014, all we talked about was the harsh winter. So  this year, yes, we’ve had a relatively harsh winter but it’s certainly not on the scale of 2014.”

The treasurer also noted in his report the town’s $80,000 claim to the province’s disaster relief fund for the December 2013 ice storm is still not settled.

“No News,” said Duff.

 

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