Elgin cashes in on cheaper road salt

After taking heat for poor snow removal last winter, Elgin leaders are looking as cool as a cucumber.

City leaders in June bought 10,000 tons of salt - about 9,000 tons is used in an average year - to get a step ahead of the crush for salt that begins in November.

Now, it looks like the move will save the city a bundle because salt could top $100 a ton, a significant jump over last year's price of $47 a ton.

"We had no idea the savings would be as significant as they turned out to be," said John Loete, Elgin's public works director. "We're trying to do our best to make sure we're as ready for winter as we can be."

The city's batch of salt was $62 a ton, or $620,000 total.

The city also bought more plows, adjusted plowing routes, decreased removal time thresholds and is experimenting with an even-odd parking schedule.

Elgin plans to buy between 6,300 and 11,700 more tons through the state, but it will stockpile that salt for winter 2009-2010.

State officials won't have a final, official price per ton until next month. But suburban public works officials are bracing for at least $100 a ton.

If salt is $100 a ton and the city bought 10,000 tons through the state's bulk purchase, that would cost the city $1 million.

David Lawry, Elgin's general services director, said there's a mad rush every Nov. 1, which is the first date towns can accept shipments through the state's purchasing agreement.

"At the end of the season, nobody had salt," Lawry said. "We'll have 10,000 tons of salt in our two domes before winter even starts."

Other towns with limited storage might not be so lucky.

Chuck Behm, South Elgin's public works director, said the village will buy enough salt to keep its residents safe.

"Everybody's talking about it being over $100 (a ton). I'm not so sure," Behm said. "We're going to make sure we're taken care of."