Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE – Record snowfall over the winter has taken a toll on the city’s Public Works Department budget and with state and federal help nowhere in sight, officials are looking for ways to address the issue.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
SIGHTS LIKE THIS of crews doing road work may be limited, if Presque Isle’s Public Works Department has to make cuts to adjust its budget to make up for a $100,000 shortfall brought about due to this winter’s severe weather. Planned projects may need to be reduced in scope or postponed until a future date to make up for funds the department used to handle winter overtime, rising fuel costs and other expenses. Here, a Public Works crew was on Main St. recently checking areas in need of repair from damaged caused over the winter.
During sessions on April 7 and again on April 21, City Council looked at over-expenditures due to snow and fuel costs, with Public Works topping the list with its budget approximately $100,000 over what officials had anticipated when the spending plan was drawn up last fall.
“The biggest hurt comes from Public Works at about $100,000 over. Public Works has the ability to over-expend by 15 percent because you don’t know how much snow will come,” said City Manager Tom Stevens at the April 7 session, noting that, in the end, the department still has to have a balanced budget.
Stevens told councilors that there was at least one option that could be considered to help Public Works continue with scheduled work for 2008, without having to make drastic cuts in its plans.
“Because we’ve had record snowfall, Public Works might qualify for the Emergency Reserve Account,” said Stevens.
Councilors were willing to entertain discussion of taking funds needed to keep the department’s budget balanced from the ERA, since the option of cutting other areas, such as overtime, fuel and road maintenance was a less appealing option.
“It seems to me our streets have taken a real beating this winter. I wonder if we won’t be faced with added cost (down the road) for snow removal and street repair as well,” said Councilor G. Melvin Hovey at the April 7 meeting.
Council Chair Walt Elish indicated he’d be in favor of taking funds from the ERA.
“I could go along with (taking the funds) for Public Works for $100,000,” said Elish, adding other departments could more easily come up with shortfalls of a few thousand dollars but $100,000 was a considerable amount to expect a department to deal with.
Approving access to the ERA for the Public Works shortfall would require approval by all seven councilors. Since Councilors Ed Nickerson and Ron McPherson were absent April 7, discussion was tabled until the April 21 session.
Initial appeals to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for emergency assistance to Maine communities following record snowfall this winter from Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins were denied, leaving the matter of Public Work’s shortfall in the hands of city officials. Council picked up the discussion on April 21, this time with Public Works Director Gerry James present to answer questions.
A memo from Stevens to councilors outlined the department’s fuel and other expenses related to this winter’s record snowfall.
“I’m leaning to supporting this. I’m aware we can’t act without seven councilors here (Councilors Ed Nickerson and Don Gardner were absent). This snowfall wasn’t anticipated and costs related to it make sense. I’d recommend it (taking funds from ERA) be discussed in the future,” said Councilor Calvin Hall.
Hovey noted what would need to be done to help balance the department’s budget.
“Reading Gerry James’ report, it says eliminating 4.35 miles of road maintenance will balance this year but cost more in the future. I agree. I think putting off needed work that will cost us more in the future – I wonder if it’s the right thing to do,” said Hovey. “I hate to take money away from Public Works. I’m in a position where I’d like to see us cover those costs 100 percent so they can do the work on public streets.”
The winter’s record snow caused unexpected expenditures, including more overtime, fuel use, salt and sand. If funds aren’t used from the ERA, the department would have to cut costs elsewhere, putting off much-needed paving projects, instead doing patch jobs to get by another year. But by postponing projects slated for 2008 to 2009, jobs planned for 2009 would in turn have to be postponed another year, thus creating a domino effect of delayed projects.
James said increased product prices was something else to consider.
“I haven’t quoted any prices (on asphalt), but I know Fort Fairfield was quoted $73 per ton, up from $58 last year,” James told the Council. “I only have a couple of accounts (to make up the shortage) – sand and gravel, asphalt and salaries – that can take that kind of a hit to balance the budget.”
With councilors agreeing something needed to be done, the discussion was tabled until the next Council meeting, May 5, in hopes that all councilors would be present to vote on allowing Public Works to use funds from the ERA to balance its budget. Council meetings begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall. For more information, contact 764-4485.
In the meantime, Snowe, Collins and Gov. John E. Baldacci continue their efforts to obtain emergency assistance for communities suffering from the unexpected expenses of the abnormally high snowfall this year. Both senators appealed to President George W. Bush on April 25.
“This winter’s record snowfall has put an enormous financial burden on many local communities,” said Collins. “I disagree with the President’s decision to deny the Governor’s earlier request for emergency assistance, and I strongly support the request for an appeal to help the cities and towns in Aroostook County whose limited budgets are strained.”
Snowe echoed Collins’ sentiments.
“I am disappointed with FEMA’s decision that the record snowfall throughout the week of March 19-22 and its disastrous effects on the infrastructure of Aroostook County did not warrant a state of emergency declaration and its implied federal assistance,” stated Snowe, adding, “For the region, this blizzard was the 33-inch record snowstorm that broke the camel’s back. It is absolutely essential that the federal government react to this natural disaster and provide resources to restore a basic level of normalcy for the region.”
Snowe credited the people of the County for their ability to overcome such situations but that more should be done to assist communities hit hard by the storm.
“The resiliency of the people of the County has certainly been tested through this extreme winter and it is essential that we provide the resources to mitigate the economic losses for this region,” said Snowe.
