Palatine adds up costs of last winter, and it ain't pretty
Palatine took some time this month to examine its response to one of the harshest winters on record. Did the systems and procedures in place fail, or were they simply overwhelmed by extraordinary circumstances?
"It was unlike anything the village has experienced in recent history," said Village Manager Reid Ottesen.
The numbers were staggering.
Total snowfall: 85.3 inches.
Annual snowfall averaged past 10 years: 42 inches.
Number of snow and ice events: 26
Amount of salt used: 9,665 tons
Total cost: $1.2 million.
Ottesen got some laughs at a recent village board meeting when, in order to illustrate the difference between this winter and years past, he showed a photograph of Shaquille O'Neal next to Tattoo from "Fantasy Island."
Ottesen and his staff have looked at ways to solve several concerns, including snow storage on sidewalks, salt availability and mailbox damage.
No official action was taken, but several changes were proposed.
For one, some businesses and organizations illegally stored snow on village sidewalks and public right-of-ways, prompting numerous complaints. The problem was especially prevalent on major highways. Historically, the village has been passive about enforcement, but Ottesen proposed letters, inspections and citations.
Because of depleted supply, Palatine had to go to the open market to buy salt and use sand on the streets, which hasn't been necessary in years. The village proposes increasing outdoor salt storage and securing salt from a second supplier.
In addition, Palatine is looking at its mailbox replacement program.
In a typical winter, between 30 and 50 mailboxes are damaged by village snow plows. This number spiked to 130 mailboxes this winter, costing nearly $12,000 to replace. Councilman Dan Varroney was himself a victim.
Because many of the mailboxes were thought to have toppled because of rotting and untreated wooden posts, the village may require future mailbox posts to be timber-treated or steel.
Decorative mailboxes are also popular in Palatine, and have cost as much as $450 to replace.
As a result, Ottesen is recommending limiting its liability by putting in standard models with up to $125 in upgrades to replace the elaborate mailboxes.
In the end, Ottesen said standards were met despite the exceptional conditions. Streets were plowed within seven hours of a storm, as were commuter parking lots. Downtown sidewalks were cleared within one day and all others within five days.
The total cost of implementing all proposed changes would be in the $35,000 to $45,000 range.
Three years of yoga: A local yoga facility, the Palatine Dahn Center, celebrates its three years in the village today with an open house and ribbon-cutting by Mayor Rita Mullins. The public is invited to stop by the center at 2070 N. Rand Road, near Caputo's, anytime between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. to see the center, meet center leader Master Hana and learn about class offerings. Call (847) 358-7017.
Got the scoop on what's happening in Palatine? Contact Kimberly Pohl at (847) 427-4472 or kpohl@dailyherald.com