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Northfield service chief reports 205 senior driveways enrolled; leaf disposal costs to rise
Summary
Service Superintendent Jason Walters told council the village's senior driveway snow program enrolled 205 driveways this year, that driveways are plowed after roads when snow reaches 4 inches, and that leaf disposal costs are expected to increase; staff are weighing a truck purchase and disposal options at the Chestnut plant.
Service Department Superintendent Jason Walters told the council on Dec. 14 that 205 senior driveways were enrolled in this season's snow-clearing program, up from roughly 170–180 in prior years.
Walters said the department's policy is to clear senior driveways after roads are plowed when at least 4 inches of snow has fallen; the intent is a single pass to allow emergency-vehicle access rather than a complete driveway plow. Completing all enrolled driveways requires about 6–8 hours of department time.
Walters said the department is considering purchasing another truck but that current market prices are high, so the Village will continue to use existing equipment for now. He also reported that the Village pays to dispose of collected leaves, that disposal is costly and expected to be more expensive next year, and that staff are examining environmentally acceptable disposal at the Chestnut plant.
Councilmembers asked whether it remains cost-effective for the village to plow senior driveways rather than contracting the work; Walters said it is cheaper for the Village to continue performing the service in-house. Walters said many public-works projects were completed this year and that he is preparing the department's 2023 budget.
