Snow cleanup costs over budget in Attleboro

By: Chloe Leshner

cleshner@abc6.com

@CLeshnerABC6

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WLNE) — Cities and towns will be feeling the impacts of this month’s 3 storms well after the snow has melted. Cleaning up after a storm isn’t cheap and many towns have already blown  through their budgets. In Attleboro, $150,000 is allocated for snow removal and that may seem like a good amount, but cleaning up after just this weeks nor’easter cost more than that.

Snow covered yards may look pretty, but Attleboro officials only see dollars and cents.

"The numbers roughly for this storm are about $160,000. We don’t have all the bills in yet but we’ve seen comparable numbers to the one in January, so those 2 storms right there, you’re basically looking at about $320,000," says Michael Tyler, the Superintendent of the Attleboro Public Works Department.

The town quickly blowing through its $150,000 snow budget.

"It’s much, far over budget. But we’re allowed to deficit spend so we’ll make it up in next year’s budget just like this year we’re making up last years snow," says Mayor Paul Heroux.

Shooting low is a common practice, especially in New England where you never know what you’ll get.

"If we allocate that money just to snow and we don’t spend it, then it’s stuck within that department for that purpose where we’d rather underestimate it and make it up next year," says Mayor Heroux.

Clearing the streets is a time consuming job requiring a lot of manpower.

"Most of the money goes to outside vendors, contractors if you will, and the average rate for them is $100 an hour," says Tyler.

Salt and sand by the ton also isn’t cheap and this winter has been tough on the trucks, mechanics already hard at work on repairs.

And we haven’t reached the end, yet.

"Hopefully the in like a lion out like a lamb for the month of March is a reality this year," says Tyler.

In Attleboro, they’ll make up for the deficit by adding it to the general fund in next year’s budget.

(C) WLNE/ABC6 2018