The first snowstorm of 2014 put the Town of Stoneham over the annual snow budget.
“We are currently $115,000 over budget,” Department of Public Works director Bob Grover said. “Last year, we overran the budget by $325,000. The biggest problem with a storm with long duration is some guys worked 32 hours straight. That’s exceptional number of hours.”
Towns in Massachusetts set their annual budget with a single category that can be overspent on: Snow removal. The Town of Stoneham has appropriated $190,000 for snow removal for the last 10 years. “We will continue to plow, salt and sand,” Grove said. “It is what it is. The town will have to come up with the money. But this is the only budget we’re allowed to exceed.”
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Grover said in his 30 year career, the record for overspending on snow removal was $500,000. The town overran the budget by $450,00 in Fiscal Year 2011. Grover said that Stoneham has gone over the snow removal budget eight out of the last 10 years.
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