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Politics & Government

Public Works Departments in Cleanup Mode Following Winter Storm

Both public works departments in Maplewood and Brentwood are over budget because of overtime payments.

A few inches of sleet instead of the forecasted foot or more snowfall last week spared the area from a crippling impact but the Maplewood and Brentwood public works departments are still feeling the effects.

Both departments are repairing equipment and preparing for the next major storm.

Anthony Traxler, , said street damage resulting from ice removal and temperature changes wasn't different compared to previous years, but last week's storm required more follow-up work.

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"Ice and sleet cause a lot more damage to trucks and blades than snow," he said. "Right now we're repairing and doing maintenance on blades and other items, some of it ourselves and some of it to outside companies."

Jim Nahmensen, , said his department is doing maintenance work too, all of it by his employees.

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"It's not major repairs we're doing, but the little things like replacing bolts that hold the blades. And it isn't costing us a lot. Things like bolts only cost three bucks each but it's got to be done now," he said.

Both departments are over budget because of overtime spent on last week's storm.

"It adds up when you have crews out for 48 straight hours," Nahmensen said.

While snowfalls this winter haven't been as harsh here as in Kansas City or Chicago, Traxler said Maplewood has used twice as much salt as last year.

"We've used 800 tons. We budget between 500 and 600 tons a year," he said.

Nahmensen said Brentwood has used 500 tons this winter—which is what the city budgeted—but restocking may be a problem.

Maplewood and Brentwood contract with a municipal cooperative program that supplies salt from the North American Salt Company.

"I got a letter from them on January 26 that future orders would be delivered in three weeks or as long as till the end of April," he said. "Everyone around the country has been using more salt than they expected."

Nahmensen said Brentwood can handle additional snow storms because it has 150 tons of salt remaining from last year when snowfall was lighter than average.

Maplewood is in a different situation. The city doesn't have a dome to store salt like other cities, Traxler said.

Both men said their spending will be balanced through future months of the fiscal year if the cities aren't hit with any other significant weather events.

"Like flooding," Nahmensen said. "When all this stuff melts with upcoming rain, we have to be ready."

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