MANSFIELD — A major winter storm could drop seven to 10 inches of snow on Richland County in the next 48 hours, according to the latest National Weather Service forecast.
Unfortunately, the snow plowing situation in the City of Mansfield, which drew criticism for its efforts during a much-smaller storm a few weeks ago, is not radically different.
Manpower and equipment will remain issues in the city even if north central Ohio receives the kind of wintry blow Mother Nature seems prepared to deliver.
“We are evaluating all snow removal equipment, examining it and making necessary repairs,” Public Works Director Dave Remy said Monday. “We have not purchased any new equipment.
“We are looking, depending on the ultimate severity of the storm, at putting front-end loaders, tractors with front-end buckets and even our old road grader in use,” he said.
In terms of manpower, Mansfield has hung a “Help Wanted” sign.
The city has posted three job openings on its website for motor equipment operators in the street division, offering between $15.16 and $22.92 per hour — more if the applicant has a commercial driver’s license.
“Because of posting requirements and in-house filling labor contract requirements and the time factor involved in satisfying such, no additional/new personnel have been made available,” Remy said.
On Jan. 18, At-large City Council member Stephanie Zader criticized the city administration for its preparations.
“We could have been prepared for this. We knew the storm was coming. It didn’t take us by surprise. It didn’t come out of nowhere. We knew for several days that it was coming. We should have been better prepared,” Zader said during council’s meeting.
Zader spent time at the city’s Service Complex after a storm dropped several inches of snow and also rode with a couple of plow operators.
Zader said she spoke with workers and received good feedback “from people who actually do the job about things that are needed, issues that are happening,” consistent with what she has heard in the past regarding the city’s snow-clearing issues.
“They are under-staffed, they are under-equipped and the pay doesn’t match the market pay,” she said Jan. 18.
“We may have given them raises, but the laborers come in at $15 something an hour. When they can go down to (Ohio Laborers’ Union Local 1216) and start at $19 per hour and be at $30 an hour in four years, they are not gonna work for us.
“They can go flip burgers at McDonald’s for 15 bucks an hour. Am I gonna put my life on the line plowing snow or am I gonna go ask people if they want fries with that? I’m probably not going to go put my life on the line plowing snow for 50 cents more an hour,” Zader said.
Street operations Supervisor Steve Brown said Monday his department is “all-hands-on-deck to prepare for whatever comes in.”
Brown said his department will have six large plows and five or six smaller plows working during the storm, focused on major thoroughfares and arteries and then minor arteries, side streets and residential areas.
“I have got all my guys getting prepared, making sure we’re fueled up, making tweaks, checking blades and fluid levels,” Brown said.
“If we have to, we will double- and triple-team on the major thoroughfares,” he said. “I don’t have a crystal ball to tell how much is coming.”
The city’s brine trucks are now operational. But the fact the storm will begin with rain on Wednesday, changing over to ice and snow, makes pre-treatment of streets unlikely.
“The rain will just wash it off,” Brown said.
“We will do our best to keep the major streets open,” he said. “We will just keep fighting it. (But) if we get 18 inches, we will be fighting a losing battle until we can get on top of it.”
A continued area of concern is that Mansfield remains responsible for clearing the several miles of U.S. 30 within city limits, which is a four-lane stretch of highway.
In many other municipalities, cities contract with the Ohio Department of Transportation for such work.
“While the city is aware of the fact ODOT contracts within municipalities to plow certain designated state highways, such as U.S. 30, it does not have such an agreement at this time (with Mansfield) and to entertain such within this year’s snow season would not be realistically feasible,” Remy said.
“Nevertheless, it is worth opening up channels of communication about such regarding future snow seasons,” he said.
Brown admitted the work on U.S. 30 takes up a great deal of time that plows could use to operate on city streets.
The city has also urged residents not to park their cars on the streets if snow does develop, leaving room for snow plow operators to work.
Richland County engineer’s office prepping for snow
Richland County Engineer Adam Gove said his department normally has 11 trucks out in a “normal storm.” He said his crews are outfitting five to seven back-up trucks with plows for this one.
Gove said the county department is also outfitting its two road graders with “V” plows, “just in case we get a lot of snow and have roads drifting shut.”
His department is responsible for about 347 “centerline” county roads, a number that is doubled when it comes to plowing lanes. He said the plan can change, depending on the severity of the storm.
“We have 11 typical routes and each one has about 30 miles on it,” Gove said. “If it’s a long (duration) storm, we try to run our guys out there no more than 16 hours per shift.
“It depends on the number of guys who are available due to sickness or injury, which we have had the last couple of weeks.”
Gove said his street department manufactures its own salt brine for pre-treatment. But he agreed with Brown that pre-snow rain may not make such an effort possible.
Marc Milliron, manager Building, Codes, and Permits in the City of Mansfield, issued the following statement Monday:
“Due to the anticipated heavy snow forecast and existing snow and ice accumulated on sidewalks I want to remind Mansfield Residents and Businesses owners that you are responsible per City of Mansfield Codified Ordinance section 521.06 to maintain your sidewalks and keep clean from any snow or ice accumulation.
521.06 DUTY TO KEEP SIDEWALKS IN REPAIR AND CLEAN.
(a) No owner or occupant of abutting lands shall fail to keep the sidewalks, curbs or gutters in repair and free from snow, ice or any nuisance. (ORC 723.011)
(b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact the City Codes and Permits Department at 419-755-9688.”
