The snow is beginning to fall in eastern South Dakota with some areas expected to receive up to six inches. Crews in Sioux Falls are already out and about to ensure safe travel conditions. The Sioux Falls Street Department has put a lot of planning into this years snow season.
The city of Sioux Falls is expected to get three to five inches of snow throughout the day and evening on Tuesday. People traveling throughout the city could see plows and sanders already on the streets of town. Sioux Falls Street Department Manager Galynn Huber says he has crews organized to handle the conditions.
"I split the crews today; basically half the crew came in this morning at eight o clock it’s going to work straight through till 4 pm this afternoon. And then I have the other crew coming in from 4 pm and working till midnight tonight and I think that’s basically going to take the extent of this weather event," Huber says.
Huber says he discusses safety with his crews before each snow fall. He says he also encourages the public to travel slower in rough conditions to make things easier on city employees operating plows and sanders. Huber says new snow removal employees go through training in October to prepare them for these types of days.
The budget is also a big part of snow removal in Sioux Falls. Street Department Manager Huber says it’s important for crews to look at history when planning a budget for the future. Huber says Sioux Falls plans for around five to six big snow removal events a year.
"We budget one for the month of November and two for the month of December. And then January first my new fiscal budget comes into play, the 2014 budget comes into play and we do a budget for snow events in those months," Huber says.
Huber says the budget for 2013 is around $7 million and the 2014 budget is expected to be around the same. He says the increase in fuel or repair costs can influence the annual budget to increase but over the last few years, those factors haven’t affected the cost. Huber says crews are prepared for everything and anything when dealing with Mother Nature.
