One year ago, as the town was embroiled in a battle over budget cuts, Jack Petkus, director of the Department of Public Works, wrote a guest column for the Andover Townsman defending how much his department spends on snow removal.
In the Aug. 15, 2009 column, Petkus said his department had launched a study comparing Andover's snow removal costs to neighboring towns.
Before he retired Friday, Aug. 13, Petkus said the study found Andover's snow-removal costs on par with local towns that have a similar "level of service" in plowing.
As part of the study, snow removal costs for both Andover and North Andover were tracked for a Jan. 17, 2010 storm and the four days following. For salt, sand and employee overtime, Andover totaled $152,665 and North Andover totaled $152,164 - a $501 difference.
"We were flabbergasted (of how close the figures were). The bottom line is we were right there, the same amount," said Petkus. "Compare us to any other metric you have and we're right there. We're in the ballpark."
Petkus' August 2009 column was in response to the Townsman's "change for your budget" series, when readers generated ideas for the town to save money and balance the budget. The snow removal budget had come under fire as Andover's cost per mile is higher - in some cases, double - that of some surrounding towns.
Boiling snow-removal costs down to price per mile is an unfair way to compare spending between towns, said Petkus. Andover's costs include plowing 63 miles of sidewalks, 28 school parking lots, five municipal parking lots, two park-and-ride lots and trucking snow out of downtown, which many towns don't do, he said.
"It's apples and oranges is what it is," said Petkus
Some towns build school snow-removal costs into the schools budget, he said. Also, Andover is often in the "bullseye" of snowstorms, said Petkus, receiving more snowfall than neighboring towns.
Last winter, Andover spent $4,876 per "lane mile" on snow removal. Boxford and Georgetown spent $2,034 and $2,792 per mile on snow, respectively, but do not have a downtown like Andover and have half its number of schools.
"There is a huge disparity in services that are offered and charged in snow (budgets). Some towns don't have downtowns, or don't do school parking lots. If you don't factor that in, and are just looking at miles, our costs are going to be higher," said Petkus.
Results of the snow-removal study were presented to selectmen earlier this year. In addition to cost per mile, the study considered miles of sidewalk plowed, salt costs, total snowfall, number of plows, school and municipal parking spaces and fuel costs, among other data.
"In Andover, people expect a higher level of service, and people recognize that. So many people have said they fight snow and traffic until they hit the Andover line. We get that a lot from people, and it's good to hear. Our policy is wet and black (pavement), once the storm is over. That's what we shoot for - it's a lot safer," said Petkus. "We also put down liquid calcium before the first snowflake hits. People see the trucks and think 'What are they doing?' But it gives us a head start, keeps the snow from bonding and makes it easier to plow. It's very cost-effective and reduces the amount of rock salt we have to put down."
'Apples and oranges'
Last winter's snow removal costs per lane mile:
Lowell $5,048
North Andover $4,882
Andover $4,876
Haverhill $4,513
Georgetown $2,792
Billerica $2,520
Boxford: $2,034
Salisbury $1,387
Source: Andover Department of Public Works
