Pawtucket officials say historic March blizzard pushed snow-removal budget over, FEMA application underway
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Summary
City public works officials told a March 25 committee that two major storms and hazardous conditions forced crews to pause operations for safety, increased cleanup and hauling costs, and prompted the city to document expenses for a FEMA reimbursement request; officials urged residents to report potholes by email.
Chair opened the snow-removal committee and asked staff to update the council on storm response and the status of the snow-removal budget. Janine (staff) said the city is still collecting invoices from private plow drivers and awaiting final repair estimates, so officials cannot yet state a final overrun but confirmed the city has exceeded its snow-removal appropriation.
Director Crowley described the March storm as one of the most severe in his career, with drifts up to several feet and periods of near-zero visibility that forced crews off the roads for roughly eight hours for public- and employee-safety. “You couldn’t see more than maybe… three feet in front of you,” Crowley said, describing why crews were stood down and why larger equipment and loaders were later required to open streets and clear intersections.
Crowley and staff said the greatest added expense was hauling snow and debris and using large loaders and dump trucks to remove piled snow and clear intersections. They reported some equipment damage to loaders and noted that recent lease-purchases had upgraded the fleet and helped response capacity.
On reimbursement, staff said the city is preparing a FEMA request and that the current federal declaration limits eligible storm costs to a 48-hour period; officials said the governor is seeking an extension that could expand the reimbursable window. Janine urged careful documentation: photos, dates, vehicle types and detailed invoices will be needed to maximize federal reimbursement.
Council members pressed staff on hours when operations were paused, how the 48‑hour FEMA window would be selected to best preserve costs for reimbursement, and whether streets that were initially skipped could be reevaluated as shifts and equipment become available. Staff said they will provide the council a follow-up communication when invoices and repair quotes are complete.
The committee also discussed road condition follow-up: Director Crowley said the city activated a hot‑mix plant on March 2 and is performing hot-patch repairs as pavement thaws. Residents were directed to report potholes by emailing DPW@PawtucketRI.gov with address or cross streets. Councilors urged more proactive public communication and noted the city’s continuing inventory of damaged sidewalks and curb stones, some of which may require full replacement rather than temporary patching.
Chair closed the discussion by asking staff to circulate a written budget-status update once final invoices and repair quotes are in and to include an outline of expected FEMA timing and next steps.
