During a February Village Board meeting, Director of Public Works John Steinbrink Jr. provided an update related to winter snow plowing operations. Over the past five years, the Village has used an average of 2,500 tons of salt over the course of a winter weather season. This season, during the months of December and January alone, the Village has used 3,800 tons of salt. Steinbrink explained, “So far this season, we’ve used about one-and-a-half winters worth of salt, fuel, labor, and expenses...expenses being things like tires, mechanical work, and plow blades.”

Assuming an average February usage of 1,200 tons of salt, Steinbrink further explained, “This season, we’re looking at using just over two times what we would normally use.” The Village keeps two years worth of salt stored in a barn at the Village Compost Site and contracts with the State of Wisconsin for storage of an additional one years worth of salt.

Steinbrink indicated confidence that there will be enough salt and related supplies available to make it through the current winter season. During the update, however, he indicated to the Village Board that staff will likely need to approach the Board this coming spring, once total salt usage is known, to ask for an early purchase of salt through the State contract. This would replenish supplies prior to the start of the 2014/2015 winter snow plowing season and ensure that the department is prepared to handle snow prior to the start of the 2015 budget year.