Shawnee County reviews multi-department response after 14-inch January snowstorm

Shawnee County leaders held a work-session review Jan. 27 to summarize how county departments responded to a mid-January winter storm that left about 14 inches of snow and periods of heavy wind and blowing snow.

The review, requested by the board chair, brought briefings from Emergency Management, Public Works, Facilities, Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste, Corrections, Human Resources, the weed department and others. Emergency Management said it began monitoring forecasts after a National Weather Service webinar Jan. 2 and used Everbridge and other channels to coordinate with partners and department heads as the event unfolded.

Courtney House, director of Public Works, said field labor costs for snow operations totaled $78,423 for 1,924 hours and equipment costs were $142,687 for 3,163 equipment hours. Public Works reported applying 291 tons of salt, 3,514 tons of sand-and-salt mix, 2,950 gallons of salt brine and 500 gallons of calcium chloride; crews finished clearing roundabouts on Jan. 14. House said one county snow truck overturned after sliding into a ditch; the vehicle cost $147,000 when bought in 2017 and was estimated to cost $218,412 to replace in 2025.

Tim Laurent, Parks and Recreation director, said park crews recorded about 1,838 staff hours and an estimated $35,841 in additional staffing costs for snow operations. Laurent noted that some park and community-center staff were not equipped for the volume of snow and that crews spent extra time clearing sidewalks and program locations.

Nilda Henning, facilities director, said facilities crews pretreated lots and sidewalks beginning Jan. 2 and deployed a plow-equipped red truck and a Kubota for sidewalks and smaller lots. Henning said courthouse entrances faced walls of windrowed snow when staff arrived and that the annex sidewalks were cleared later in the week because of limited staffing.

Brian Coles, director of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, said the jail operated with ‘‘maximum resources’’ and that all meals and health-care appointments were delivered despite delivery and staffing challenges. Coles said some employees could not report because roads were closed and that the department worked with unions and local hotels to provide options for staff who could not travel home.

Bill Sutton, Solid Waste director, said collection schedules were delayed by up to 72 hours in some locations; the department adjusted routes and used social media and media partners to notify residents. Sutton said crews suffered one equipment snag when an elevated truck caught a cable in deep snow but otherwise completed delayed collections.

Human Resources director Angela Lewis said the county recorded nine slips and falls and six vehicle accidents during Jan. 4–13. She said 544 employees received paid weather-related closure time totaling 7,684 hours and $215,105.48; that figure excludes overtime and potential workers’ compensation costs.

Emergency Management and public-safety speakers described coordination with hospitals and ambulance services. Commissioners asked about a statewide emergency alert that urged people off roadways; Emergency Management said that alert was issued by the state in coordination with the National Weather Service and not originated by Shawnee County.

Speakers identified next steps including equipment purchases and interdepartmental cooperation: the weed department plans to lease a pickup with a plow and sander to provide backup to facilities; Public Works and Facilities plan additional cross-training and spare-equipment arrangements.

Commissioners thanked staff and said the review was intended to strengthen preparedness for future storms. The meeting record contained no formal policy changes; department directors said follow-up after-action reviews would inform budget and staffing requests.