So what did it cost
the Town of Chesterton to clear the roadways of snow after the season’s
first big storm?
About a grand per
inch.
That’s Street
Commissioner John Schnadenberg’s calculation, after he ran the numbers on
the man-hours and materials deployed between 11 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, and
6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2.
As Schnadenberg
reported to the Town Council at its meeting Monday night, Street Department
personnel racked up 309 total man-hours and drove 1,275 plow-miles.,
expending 438 gallons of diesel fuel and 125 tons of salt.
Total cost: around
$17,000. Total inches: around 17. Figure $1,000 per inch of snow. “We can
feel for the people of Boston,” Schnadenberg said. “They’re at 74 inches
already this winter.”
While he was at it,
Schnadenberg took a moment to thank everyone who contributed to the effort:
the Police Department for getting vehicles removed from the street so plows
could work more effectively; the Fire Department for clearing area around
the town hall; the Park Department and Utility for tasking employees to snow
removal; and to Town Engineer Mark O’Dell who took a hand at plowing on
Super Bowl Sunday.
“I want to thank
the other departments for helping,” Schnadenberg said. “It’s gone. It’s
forgotten. But it was a rough couple of days. It was a lot of snow and we
appreciate the help.”
Out to Bid
In other business,
and at Schnadenberg’s request, members voted 5-0 to go out to bid for a new
dump truck, to replace a 16-year-old GMC model currently in the fleet. Bids
are scheduled to be opened at the council’s March 23 meeting and the low bid
awarded at its April 13 meeting.
Schnadenberg
figures it will take at least six months to take delivery of the truck after
the bid is awarded.
The estimated cost
of the new truck: $160,000. It will be purchased on a lease-purchase
contract.
Duneland Schools
Rep on Redevelopment
President Sharon
Darnell, D-4th, re-appointed Duneland School Board Member Mike Trout to
serve as the Redevelopment Commission’s non-voting advisor.
The appointment is
a two-year one and Trout is the incumbent.
Under Indiana Code,
Trout may participate in discussions, offer his opinion, and in other ways
represent the interests of the Duneland Schools but he may not actually
vote.
Liaisons
Members voted 5-0
to accept the following liaison posts this year: Jim Ton, R-1st, to the
Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission; Lloyd “Buck” Kitteredge,
R-2nd, to the Stormwater Utility, the Fire Department, and the Engineering
Department; Nick Walding, R-3rd, to the Street Department; Darnell, to the
Utility and the Park Department; and Emerson DeLaney, R-5th, to the Police
and Fire departments.
Poppy Days
By consensus
members authorized American Legion Post 170 Auxiliary to hold its annual
Poppy Days fundraiser May 15-16.