Picking up from a post on March 1, 2015

Picking up from a post on March 1, 2015
After contacting the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and speaking with some very nice folks with some very good information. There were actually people there answering their telephone and were very helpful. I inquired about any rule, regulation or law that might affect Templeton in having to clean catch basins at any certain time. The gentleman took a few minutes to look and came back to inform me that he found no such requirement under the current permit Templeton operates under. A permit, MS 4 from the federal government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) does not currently specifically call for any time frame. I was informed that there are some changes / updates in the works.


Now, I never said the MA state DOT method of snow & Ice was the perfect way, but they do in principal do a few things good. Use salt and liquid for anti-icing and de-icing. Plain road salt works well down to about 18 degrees F.


Deicing is the reactive application of snow & ice melting products on driving or walking surfaces, to melt existing hard pack / remaining snow & ice on the surface. Deicing is typically performed after snow removal ops. or during ice events, and many times, depending on temperatures and time of application, requires multiple applications to effectively melt all surfaces if anti-icing (pre-treating) methods are not done. (fm. SIMA page)


Ant-icing is the pro-active application of ice & snow melting products on driving and walking surfaces before a snow storm or ice event. As in the weather peeps say it is going to snow about such n such a time, be ready! Anti-icing applications prevent snow 7 ice from bonding to the pavement which helps prevent hard pack and build up from forming and allowing snow & ice to be cleared more easily. When applied properly, anti-icing applications are a safer and more cost efficient option to combine with de-icing applications vs. only de-icing. Remember, sand has NO de-icing or anti-icing qualities.


SIMA = snow & ice management association


From the American public Works association - optimized snowplow routing using the A* artificial intelligence algorithm can save 12% on plowing costs. One of the main responsibilities of highway and public works superintendents is removing snow from roads during winter months. Developing optimal and efficient routes can minimize deadheading (plow truck is moving but plow is up) minimize number of U-turns, balance work loads and adapt routes to varying snowstorm durations and intensities.


Highway authorities have a responsibility to deliver the safest driving conditions while maintaining economically sustainable operations. It may be time to change our decision making process to consider the total costs of operations rather than simply buying the lowest cost products. The hidden costs of selecting the so-called cheapest option ends up costing more, but in the area of winter roads management, it comes with a much higher price tag over the long haul.


while every storm is different, it is not uncommon to find many applicators (you) requiring fewer passes over the same ground because the original product used was strong enough to keep providing longer lasting residual protection. Road salt works better than sand and it actually melts snow. You use less there fore you spend less time out on the road applying it which saves fuel. On the flip side, it may require fewer hours of workers to clear roads which equals less OT hours and helps to reduce snow costs and does that lower deficit spending??  How does one know unless they are willing to try!


Just because some think sand has worked all these years so it must be the best does not actually mean it is the best way. Take the past use of free cash in Templeton, seemed like a good way for a number of years and then.............oopsie! Without a doubt, the first thing needed is a larger starting point in the dollars for snow & ice. First things first, get audit done so we may have some free cash, then perhaps we can have a stabilization fund for snow & ice and then we need some effort on the highway supt. to find some ways to save some money or become more efficient on snow & ice.


Suggestion for the day, stop putting cold patch on top of cold patch on top of cold patch. Stop buying equipment with road money and use it to fix roads. Cut out bad patches of roads where there are pot holes on top of pot holes and patch them with black top. Then men do not have to spend hours driving around town patching these pot holes. This saves a little fuel dollars and frees the men up to do other projects. Now since it is newspaper headlines that Templeton budget is bare bones, why should the taxpayers see any Town (taxpayer) owned vehicles parked in private driveways? No employee should be taking a town owned vehicle home, there does not seem to be any money to be supplying "company cars" Town employees should be driving their own vehicles to the office, just like taxpayers do. I believe that would be a policy decision under the job of the BOS. I believe the contract of the fire chief states if the chief lives in town, the vehicle can be driven home, but if the chief lives out of town, the vehicle needs to be parked in Town.


Jeff Bennett