With memories of last winter’s historic snowfall still fresh in their minds, Urban County Council members gave the preliminary go ahead to a new snow removal plan that will incorporate private contractors if needed.
During an average cold season Lexington officials mobilize the trucks and plows 11 times, but last winter that number doubled thanks to twin snowstorms that battered the Bluegrass in the space of a few weeks.
Tuesday, the council’s Environmental Quality and Public Works committee mulled over a tiered plan that that would utilize contractors to clear heavily-traveled roads such as Citation Boulevard and Man O’ War and trigger extra outside help if accumulation tops eight inches.
Vice Mayor Steve Kay summarized the city’s choices this way: "We'll either have a plan to do that's a little forwarding thinking or we will do what we did last year, which is when the snow fell scrambled around and did the best we can. I think it was a great job... but it would be easier and better if we had a plan and we had contractors waiting this year and available so that we could do it more efficiently and effectively."
But the services don’t come cheap. Even if Lexington is spared winter’s wrath this year, the city would be on the hook for about $172,000 and an extra $10,000 every time the snow team is called up for duty.
Committee members eventually endorsed the plan, with deliberations over how to fund it expected in November.
In addition, the committee endorsed a three-year plan to phase in removal of snow on city-owned sidewalks. Council member Bill Farmer said it’s time the city play by the same rules that are in place for residents.
"Over all these years, people say, 'Isn't there a law on the books? Don't you have to move your snow? And there is a law on the books and you're supposed to move your snow, but we really haven't enforced that because we haven't moved our own snow first," he told his colleagues. "It's kind of hard to ticket somebody else when you're not doing it for yourself first."
Clearing the first proposed portion of Lexington’s 67 miles of sidewalk this year will require $76,000 in new equipment costs and an estimated $19,000 in overtime.
