By Greg Fry

Final snowfall of 2017 drains snow removal budget in Kamloops

Jan 3, 2018 | 1:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — It looks like that final burst of winter drained the City of Kamloops’ snow removal budget for 2017.

Streets and Environmental Services Manager Glen Farrow says they are within one per cent of their final budget.

“Our annual snow clearing budget is approximatley $1.6 million. We’re still waiting on a few invoices to come in and tracking a few costs but at this point it looks like we’re pretty well right on budget with a very small variance of between $20,000 above and below that $1.6 million budget.”

So, how was that $1.6 million spent?

“Salaries, equipment. With the equipment fuel, repairs and equipment replacement. And then product. So, between calcium chloride, sand and salt. I guess the fourth would be contractors. When a large event occurs we do bring on additional contract trucks and contract graders for hauling snow.”

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Farrow says the 2018 snow removal budget will be the same and says no major changes to the snow clearing fleet are anticipated.

“Overall the fleet is in pretty good order. We went through a pretty big renewal over the last two or three years with our single and tandem trucks as well as a newer grader recently.”

He adds the reprieve from last week’s snow has allowed city crews to get a handle on things though he admits there are still problem spots.

“Intersections on hills. So, coming down Pacific Way, coming down from Juniper. Those are always the hotpots. Other areas where we see an awful lot of traffic like Columbia Street, Summit, Notre Dame. Throughout that corridor.”