Counties go in the red due to heavy snowfalls
Lots of white stuff on the ground means red ink in the books for municipalities spending hundreds of thousands of dollars over their snow plowing budgets this year.
Janesville's public works director estimates the city will spend nearly double the amount budgeted to remove snow this year.
As of mid-December, the white stuff had put the Rock County Public Works Department $575,000 in the red.
Walworth County added $98,000 to its overtime budget but still will overspend.
Bookkeepers said they expect money will be transferred from other departments or from reserve funds to cover the overages.
Janesville
City records indicate Janesville's snowfall total for 2008 so far is 101 inches, or about three times average, Public Works Director Jack Messer said.
The city had budgeted $822,455 in 2008 to remove snow but expect to spend about $1.5 million.
The city budgets for an average snowfall of about 37 inches.
In 2003, for instance, the city's actual budget to remove snow was $586,000. In 2004 and 2005, the city budgeted $690,000.
In 2007, a major snow year, the city spent $1.6 million to remove snow.
In March, staff decided that if 2008 continued where 2007 left off, the city might have to consider a change in the way it operates. Staff prepared a reduced level of service of plowing, Messer said.
"That doesn't mean we didn't plow," Messer said. "We still plowed, we still salted.
"But we had 68 inches of snow in 2007 and spent $1.6 million, and 101 inches in 2008 and spent $1.5 million," Messer said. "We got 60 percent more snow and spent less," he said.
"It's a tough thing to balance. We would love to plow everyone's street every single time and get it right down to pavement. But it costs a lot of money to do that.
"The balancing act we have is the community's desire to keep taxes and expenditures low verses making the streets passable and safe so that people can go about their daily lives."
The city budgeted $865,000 to remove snow in 2009.
When it comes to weather-related budgets, Janesville budgets for the average but deals with the extremes when they happen, Messer said.
Messer said some snow is forecast to fall tonight, but he expects city crews at the most will salt, not plow.
"This December particularly has been difficult, and despite criticism out there, I'm very proud of the effort we made," Messer said.
"I think that now, all we can hope for in '09 is that we get a more normal year.
"If we get a more normal year, everyone's spirits will raise."
Rock County
The last two weeks of the year will push the road maintenance budget deeper in the hole, public works Director Ben Coopman said.
"It's gotten worse, because we've been really busy folks," Coopman said. "We worked on holidays and had some doozy 16-hour days and days we worked round the clock."
That $575,000 overage is just for snowplowing in the 2008 calendar year, Coopman said. The county budgeted $7.2 million for maintenance and plowing in 2008.
Rock County plows and maintains county roads and a contract with the state to plow state highways and the Interstate. County workers also take care of town roads in 16 of the county's 20 townships. Those include many of the roads in rural areas.
Rock County does not plow city or village roads. The towns of Beloit, Turtle, Bradford and Johnstown take care of their own plowing.
The county will recoup some of the budget shortfall in fixed costs and through internal shifting of costs, Coopman said.
The public works department will turn to the county board to ask for the rest, Coopman said. Likely, the money will come out of the county's rainy day fund, assistant Administrator Phil Boutwell said.
Walworth County
Planning for overtime is a given.
But even an extra $98,000 didn't do it this year for the Walworth County Public Works Department.
Sandy Kulik planned for $120,000 in overtime for county workers in 2008. Mid-year, Kulik, the business office manager for the Walworth County Public Works Department, added $98,000 to the overtime budget.
Today she's looking at a budget that's still $18,000 over in plowing overtime alone.
As in Rock County, county workers in Walworth County maintain county roads, and the county has a contract to plow state highways and the Interstate.
Unlike Rock County, however, Walworth County does not plow or maintain town roads.
Kulik anticipates the state's 2008 reimbursement to Walworth County for general maintenance—including plowing—will be $700,000 more than planned.
The public works budget is a complicated one, and it's hard to separate plowing from other work, Kulik said. The total road maintenance budget for 2008 was $1.1 million and included equipment, maintenance, labor, fringe benefits and materials, she said.
The original $218,000 was meant to cover overtime for plowing and other work such as flooding mitigation, Kulik said.
The $18,000 overage was for plowing overtime, she said. That money will be recouped from projects that didn't cost as much as anticipated or got taken off the priority list, Kulik said.
"We were careful over the summer," Kulik said. "We knew what our materials issues were going to be and we planned for it."
BY THE NUMBERS
$7.2 million
Rock County’s road budget in 2008, including plowing
$1.1 million
Walworth County’s road budget in 2008, including plowing
6,720 tons
Amount of salt Walworth County plans to use in 2009
22,000 tons
Amount of salt Rock County uses in a year
Dec 31, 2008 at 10:51 a.m.
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I'm sorry but I cannot afford a big honking vehicle!! Just the gas alone would break my budget! I have a job and I pay taxes, the city should plan ahead and do their job. I also believe they should plan ahead and if there is a surplus, put it away for the year that we do need it. Don't spend it on other things. Some of us don't live here by choice, it's just where we ended up. I think we should get what we pay for and this city's taxes are high enough I should be able to have my street plowed when it snows!! I agree with the garbage and recycling suggestion. After all if the roads are clear and we have alot of it we can drive to the dump and get rid of it!
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:32 p.m.
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Note to City Council, Public Works Director, City Manager....Life's Tough, Get a Helmet. I'm tired of excuses. Yes we've gotten more snow the last two years than expected. But that doesn't mean you just reserve the right to stick your heads in the sand and ignore it and hope it goes away. And to all of you from the "just stay off the roads" camp. Some of us actually have these things called "jobs" which we work so that we can pay these things called "bills" and "taxes". I know this may come as a surprise to some of you in fantasy land out there but we don't all work for employers who will grant 15 excused absences a year due to the weather. Bottom line, if I'm expected to pay my taxes, then I've got to be able to work to earn the money to do it so the least the city and county can do is get their behinds out there and make the roads reasonably safe for me to get there and back. No excuses, period!
Dec 30, 2008 at 9:37 p.m.
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snerdly - the few times a year we get large snowfalls people need to slow down or not use the roads. They won't get in accidents if they aren't driving...OR they just need to slow down. Wisconsin road are maintained very well and I have never had a problem with how they are maintained. I'm more than willing to pay higher taxes for better road maintenance, especially when you look at the back roads. Virtually all Wisconsin backroads are paved (with the exception of some areas in Western Wisconsin). In most other states in the region, all roads off main highways are gravel or minimum maintenance. Many times these roads don't go plowed in other states until the day after a snow event. In Wisconsin, especially in this area, backroads are cleared immediately after all interstate, state, and county highways are cleared.
Dec 30, 2008 at 8:40 p.m.
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Getting a 4X4 is not always an option. (behappy, I'd love to know how you legally got 2 adults and 4 kids in one. I have 4 in carseats and there is NO truck that will fit them.)
As for the trash recycling option I think that's a good idea as well. It would cut that budget in half and if you have to buy an extra can or take a drive to the dump that's certainly cheaper all around AND safer. (besides with your 4x4's you should have no trouble right?)
I won't comment on the amount of trucks I've seen in the ditch because they think they can go faster etc because they have 4 wheel drive. People just need to drive smart. I've driven all sorts of vehicles through WI winters and managed to stay OUT of the ditch.
Dec 30, 2008 at 8:33 p.m.
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Don't most areas have an emergency fund? Well, time to use it. Having just gotten off 59 where there was zero visibility sometimes (and no plow), I can say that the county needs to work harder on snow removal.
Dec 30, 2008 at 8:12 p.m.
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My point is that I'm quite sure some of those lives could have been saved had the roads been better maintained. Unfortunately, this is the one of the worst states that I have lived in for doing that. Frankly, nothing will ever change either, since apparently that's just fine and dandy with the natives (who by the way, are taxed very heavily just for these types of services).... Suit yourselves.
Dec 30, 2008 at 7:11 p.m.
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Again a failed city counsil. We knew ahead of time that again we are supposed to have a larger than average snow fall this year. Does any of these dingbats read a book. Well its thier fault not anyone elses. The councils and this is again a horrible job of planning. Fire these idiots and hire someone with a brain that can work this out with some semblence of thought
Dec 30, 2008 at 7:07 p.m.
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not to worry, the messer is going away....
Dec 30, 2008 at 6:18 p.m.
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i seem to recall a year where janesville recorded a surplus of cash because we didn't get alot of snow that year. so, janesville used the money for something else, planning ahead for the unexpected is important. yet, the planning is less than adequate. in fact, it stinks. just like the school board plans ahead to bleed us dry.
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:54 p.m.
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be_happy- I agree with you totally. These little green recycling bins are ridiculous. Let's get those bigger ones with the lid, like Milton has but BIGGER!
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:50 p.m.
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How about if those who can afford the "get through anything" 4x4s put a plow on the front and help clear the roads? :)
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:32 p.m.
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With the high taxes in Wi. I don't take it as whining to feel the roads get well done. We are paying for it -so do it. Stop wasting our money on being a welfare magnet, _____you fill in the blank. It's a basic service. Like your tax money is really going to be saved by having snow covered streets.
Also I see just as many 4x4's that hve lost control. Who cares what people drive and what someone in Bufflo NY thinks. I'm not impressed that you know someone from there. Strange you would think that's a big deal.
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.
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book9 NO WAY! As it is,my family has too much pile up with the every other week recycle pick up(btw,who's dumb idea was that anyway?)! Dont go taking away our garbage pick up,too! 6 people can generate a lot of garbage and recycle stuff.
Dec 30, 2008 at 5:12 p.m.
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Oh gosh,I dont really know what to say here! Um,we live in Wisconsin,4 wheel drive is a given.Um,people drive what they want? More than 2 or 3 kids? I have a family of 2 adults and 4 kids.We also have a 4 wheel drive ext. cab truck.DUH!
Dec 30, 2008 at 5 p.m.
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sneardly...the road conditions might have been part of the reason for those fatalities, not to be rude but other people got through just fine. People need to drive with respect of the conditions not "expect" conditions to be right for travel.
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:52 p.m.
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I too like Book9's suggestion on the garbage removal being stretched out during the winter months. If a citizen of Janesville doesn't want to wait that long, feel free to drive the dump & recycling center.
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:47 p.m.
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Kudos to all you posters who have had enough of the "winter whiners" on this sorry $#@ blog and are fighting back. You'd think it's the end of the world when a couple inches of snow doesn't get plowed on the side streets. Save my tax dollars - don't plow those side streets unless four inches of snow has fallen or accumulated.
As I've said before, I have relatives who live in Buffalo and they cannot understand at all the whining that goes on about snow ON THE SIDE STREETS. They have said to me that Janesville must be a sad place to live - given their reviews of the Gazette's blogs.
I happen to like it here.
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:47 p.m.
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This is true, but some were also alcohol related and some were also not wearing their seatbelts. WI is actually heading towards it's safest year on recored for driving fatalities. Winter is dangerous and it requires special attention. The roads aren't always going to be good and sometimes just not driving when conditions are too bad, is the best choice. We all take a risk when driving.
Dec 30, 2008 at 3:51 p.m.
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There have been 13 fatalities in the last two weeks due to POOR ROAD CONDITIONS. This freakin state needs to learn how to do a better job of maintaining their roads like other great lake states manage to do every year.
Dec 30, 2008 at 3:21 p.m.
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We should just ship all the people that whine and cry about winter/snow to Florida! Drive your hybrid car there! They obviousuly don't enjoy/understand how Wisconsin winters work. (Watch out for the Hurricanes though)
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:50 p.m.
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If you drive a puddle jumper,then be prepared to get stuck in a puddle! All summer you brag how good of gas millage you get,must really be getting good gas millage NOW,STUCK!!
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:10 p.m.
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What amazes me is how many people have whined about winter this year. Where do you think you live? There are precautions you can take to get through the winter easier. Yes a good vehicle is one of the best. Amazing what a vehicle that's designed to drive through poor conditions can do. You should try it sometime. We have winter half the year. Common sense would suggest that your vehicle should be suitable for that.
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:05 p.m.
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I'm glad I hit a sore spot with all you people who get stuck all winter long. I have two cause most couples have two autos. Drive what you want, why would i care. Commonsense would tell me if i lived in a place where it snows allot. I would want to own a auto that can go though the snow. commonsense isn't so common so go figure. Well have fun the next time we get 12 inches of snow I know I will
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:49 p.m.
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I've commuted to work for 23 years and have driven a sedan the whole time. A 4x4 is a waste of gas.
Dec 30, 2008 at 1:02 p.m.
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woodsman- can you respond to a story without commenting on GM for once? Geez!!
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:28 p.m.
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Opinionsforfree: If you never get stuck, why do you have two?
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:14 p.m.
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opinionsforfree- I hope you don't ever reproduce.
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:48 a.m.
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Opinionsforfree you are an idiot. People will drive what they want to drive. For people who have more than 2 or 3 kids a van is way more practical and less expensive to purchase than a 7 passenger youkon or tahoe
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:34 a.m.
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I say don't plow at all. if you live in Wisconsin and don't have one 4wheel drive auto your an idiot. I live in WI i have two 4x4s I never get stuck
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:18 a.m.
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I like Book9's suggestion.
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:15 a.m.
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Now that G.M. is gone & the revenue. Look out tax payers next year,sell sell sell,time to get out of dodge!
Dec 30, 2008 at 11:04 a.m.
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When it comes to weather-related budgets, its question of whether to budget for an extreme or an average, Messer said. Janesville budgets for extremes when they happen.
What does that mean. Budget for extremes when they happen. So how do you budget after the fact? They are in the hole for 2008 because of the December snowfall and last years. And only budgeting an extra $42,545.00 for 2009 sounds a little low. Plan high and roll it over to the next year if you are going to plan for extremes after they happen.
Dec 30, 2008 at 11 a.m.
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In order to provide snowplowing to keep roads safe and drivable, so we can get to work, I suggest collecting recycling once a month in winter, and garbage pick-up every other week if we have snow like this year. This definitely is a minor inconvenience compared to roads which are unsafe or snow too deep to even drive in.
Dec 30, 2008 at 10:57 a.m.
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This Wisconsin, two years in a row now maybe someone should plan a head a little better.
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