More dollars for Snow Removal
Prince George, B.C.- The Snow levy will be boosted.
The snow control fund is expected to be short of funds again this year, for the fifth straight year.
Expenses so far in 2015 have been $5.03 million dollars. Director of Utilities, Gina Layte-Lyston says a single snow event could cost $1.1 million. If there is a major snow event before the end of the year the balance of the 2015 budget ($6.3 million) would be eaten up rather quickly.
The levy will be boosted by $700 thousand in 2016 to bring the fund to an even $7 million. Furthermore, Council has approved boosting the levy another $150 thousand in 2017 and again in 2018. The future increases are to help build up a reserve fund to cover any extra expenses incurred during a winter with more than the usual amount of snow.
The major portion of the increase is due to the retainer needed to have non city equipment and labour on standby and ready to roll when needed.
Councillor Jillian Merrick says that sometime during her term, she would like to see if snow control could be “scaled back” as the amount spent on snow removal and road rehab ( $7 million each) is “massive”.
Councillor Albert Koehler says he doesn’t think they should wait till the end of their term “This is a big item for snow and roads and we have to be careful and find savings where we can.”
Meantime, Councillor Murry Krause says he is pleased to see an increase in the budget for sidewalk clearing as seniors have told him they have felt “trapped in their homes” following major snowfalls.
Mayor Lyn Hall admits predicting snowfall is a “guessing game”. The levy has been based on average snowfalls, but staff believe $7 million would be enough to handle an “average snowfall” year.
Comments
Jillian, I write with tongue in cheek and before PVal get’s a chance “but if they scale back the snow removal budget, how will I be able to use the bike lane this January?”
My street hasn’t been plowed yet. What gives?
Ha, ha, ha!
Bike lane in the winter?????
No such luck! Bike lanes have so far been used to store snow between the road and the sidewalk. I have pictures showing cars attempting to park in bikelanes before they were bikelanes along Ospika at CN Centre on both sides of the road.
Same thing with bikelanes along much of Foothills on the south side of the river. Snow storage on the east side between the sidewalk and the road.
So, if they are no longer going to store snow in those locations, I would think that it would take more time to plow that extra 4 to 6 feet, depending on the road where the lane is located and certainly to remove the snow to the snow dump once the pile gets too high.
Thanks for looking after me ski51 :)
Jillian again shows she doesn’t hear the citizens of PG… We want better snow removal and she is talking about cutting it back..
We had a grader and a front end loader grading the alleys in our area yesterday. So one assumes that because there is no snow they are having this other work done rather than have men and equipment sitting around.
One way to save money would be to have certain areas of the City (Like Foreman Road) (contracted out to say Yellowhead Road and Bridge. This would mean that City equipment could be better utilized in the rest of the City. Sharing snow removal between Yellowhead, and the City could be a win, win.
I ran a loader for many years, it was my profession.
When I phoned and asked about putting a loader to work, I was told I couldn’t because I wasn’t in their union.lol. Im not aware of the city paying hired loaders and operators to be on standby like it was stated.
When it comes to snow removal, both union and non union should be respected. Much better performance this way.
praying for the snow to come so my dog can find a new spot to piss instead of my new winter tires!@#$%
“Councillor Jillian Merrick says that sometime during her term, she would like to see if snow control could be “scaled back” as the amount spent on snow removal and road rehab ( $7 million each) is “massive”.”
Oh good grief – sure how about lets up it a few more cms before we plow? Maybe at 20cms? How about 25cm? Whatever we save can go to bike lanes.
A single snow event could cost 1.1 million… We are at 5.03 million so we have had 4 1/2 snow events since January 1st?
Does the levy go on top of the 3% they are “thinking” of increasing property taxes or is that included? Do we get our Canada Games funding wiped or is it going to be re-purposed?
My wallet appears to be eaten up very quickly by this council, the newbies are fitting right in with the old boys club
Now you’re thinking interceptor! They don’t have to reduce service, they just need to revise the standard, LOL.
It reminds me of a story that ran here recently. Apparently there was a consultants report recommending that the city of Ottawa adjust their snow removal standards downwards to save money, because they were higher than the provincial norm. Of course this begs the question, what if the provincial norm is unacceptable?
I’ll take the above average snow removal and gladly pay for it. Why Merrick would like to see the service cut when it is obviously a big priority for the people of PG is beyond me.
“Why Merrick would like to see the service cut when it is obviously a big priority for the people of PG is beyond me. ”
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She’s out of touch? She only listens to that one track in her head that keeps repeating, “bike lanes, bikes lanes, bike lanes…”? She thinks she’s in Vancouver?
Too bad she wouldn’t go to Vancouver and stay there. And take Murry with her!!
I have the perfect “merrick” solution… Cease all snow removal..but put in heated bike lanes and make the roads so bad the only way to get around is by bike..
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