Committee advances bill to standardize DPWT snow-removal reports

The TIE Committee on May 8 voted to give a favorable recommendation to CB-12 (draft 2), a bill that revises how the Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPWT) reports on snow-removal operations in Prince George's County.

The bill’s sponsor and staff said the draft narrows some earlier reporting requirements and replaces the agency’s broader “snow removal operation plan” and “deployment strategy” reporting with a situational-awareness report that must include specific service updates such as air and roadway temperatures, storm forecasts, road conditions, transit status (bus/paratransit/call-a-bus), dispatched vehicles and total calls received. "CB 12 had actually defined operations levels of snowfall... and required DPWT to do some reporting on snow removal operations," said Mister Battle, staff presenting the bill. "The proposed draft 2 changes references to the agency's snow removal operation plan and substitute situational awareness report."

Sponsor Council Member Burrows thanked DPWT for working with the committee. "I wanna thank the administration. Thank you, DPWT. Happy that we were able to get on the same page," Burrows said. Committee analyst and DPWT staff were present for questions; Ramon Gonzalez assisted with the redraft.

A motion for a favorable recommendation on draft 2 passed by roll call 4–0 (Chair Olsen, Council Member Begay, Council Member DeNogue and Vice Chair Harrison voted aye). The committee record shows the bill had been discussed previously in March and that draft 2 reflects edits discussed with the sponsor’s office.

The committee did not adopt additional substantive changes at the May 8 meeting; DPWT staff remained available to answer follow-up questions as the bill moves through the council process.

Less urgent administrative background: the bill restructures reporting to focus on situational data rather than previously broader deployment and communications strategies, per staff description.