Storm Update: Monday, February 9, 2015

Compiled by The Bedford Citizen

The Bedford Citizen has checked in with various town officials about today’s storm, and here’s what we learned:

Schools

Superintendent Jon Sills has announced that Bedford Schools will be open on Tuesday, February 10, with a 2-hour delay.

Plowing

DPW director Roy Sorenson says, “It’s been exhausting,” with 16 inches of new snow falling on Bedford today, increasing our total to 72 inches over the past three weeks. Although the snow falling this evening seems to be lighter, a Winter Storm Warning has been extended until 4 am on Tuesday. And the department is watching another storm for Thursday into Friday.

Plow crews, both DPW workers and contractors, have been working since late Saturday and early Sunday morning.

Selectman Margot Fleischman checked with Finance Director, Treasurer/Collector Victor Garofalo to see where Bedford’s snow removal budget stands. “As of right now we are $172K in deficit for snow removal,” Fleischman noted. “This does not include the storm from last week or today.”

Victor Garofalo projects that this storm could raise the total expenditure to more than $400K, if not a lot more. Better numbers will be available after the Town processes payroll and accounts payable on Friday, he reported.

Snow removal is the only part of the municipal budget that can be in deficit from one year to the next, so Bedford will have to make up the shortfall next year.  Projecting a final snow deficit number (for when winter finally ends!) will become part of the financial model Garofalo is preparing for FY16.

Public Safety

Fire Chief David Grunes reports that the department was staffed appropriately for the storm. “There have been multiple incidents of well-being checks of elderly or infirm residents on behalf of relatives,” but there have not been any significant incidents.

The Chief cautions residents to:

• Please make sure heat and dryer vents are clear of snow and the residents test their CO detectors.
• Please keep the area of gas meters and electrical meters clear so that falling ice does not damage the equipment and start a fire or create a hazard.

And he shares a reminder: “There are approximately 660 municipal fire hydrants in the community – the fire department typically spend 8 days following a significant storm to clear all of the hydrants. For the residents’ own safety if they can clear the hydrant closest to their house, we can halve that time.”

Correction 2/9/2010: Added the proper job title for Victor Garofalo; he is Finance Director, Treasurer/Collector not Town Treasurer.