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Public Works ramps up winter prep, awaits state salt pricing and adds weather stations
Summary
Public Works Director Ed McAndrews told the committee the county is prepping plows and calibrating trucks for winter while awaiting state per-ton salt prices; staff will install weather stations with cameras and text alerts to improve winter response.
Public Works Director Ed McAndrews told the committee the department is preparing trucks and plows for winter and is waiting on state vendors to release per-ton salt prices for the coming season.
"We are getting ready for winter. We're starting to work on our trucks and getting them ready. Plow is coming in," McAndrews said, adding that the county had to bid quantities in May but vendors have not yet released final prices. He said the county was fortunate to avoid last winter's statewide salt shortages but remains watchful for price impacts.
McAndrews also said staff will seek approval for weather-monitoring stations connected statewide. "They're connected statewide, so we'll be able to log into them. They have cameras on them. We can see the road. We can see the temperature," he said, noting the devices can send text alerts to staff to get trucks out as conditions change.
The director described several operational steps to reduce salt use and maintain traction, including in-house brine production and truck-level ground-speed controls that meter salt per lane-mile. The committee did not take formal action at the meeting; staff said they will return with specifics and look into public access to the camera feeds.
