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Jamestown snow-and-ice budget rises as salt prices jump 41%
Summary
City staff increased the snow-and-ice budget to just over $1 million for 2026 after a heavier winter and a salt cost increase from $49 to $69 a ton; staff explained purchasing rules that require buying 50% of requested salt with an option to buy up to 130%.
Jamestown officials told attendees the snow-and-ice operation budget rose from roughly $800,000 last year to just over $1,000,000 for 2026 after a busier winter and a sharp increase in salt costs.
"From last winter to this winter, the price of our salt has increased 41% from $49 a ton to $69 a ton," Mark Reitzer said while explaining the city’s snow-and-ice contractual-service line. He said the account increase is intended to better track actual costs and to partially accommodate the higher per-ton cost of salt.
Reitzer described the municipality’s contractual purchasing rules: the city must purchase 50% of its requested tonnage and has the option to buy up to 130%, so total spending varies with how much salt is contracted and ultimately used during the season.
Staff also cited a more typical winter last season that required more plowing and salting, higher fuel use for plowing operations, and increased labor and parts costs in the fleet shop, all of which contributed to higher overall operational costs.
Officials said the city’s salt supply is currently two-thirds to three-quarters full and that they will order additional salt as needed, but they cautioned that the higher unit price increases the risk of budget shortfall if a severe winter drives up consumption.
