Public Works departments report they’re under budget for snow, ice removal

Public Works crews in Boone County and Columbia said Friday they’re still under budget a little more than halfway through winter.

So far, Columbia Public Works spokesperson Barry Dalton said the department has used about 1,700 tons of salt. He said it starts out with a reserve of 5,000 tons. In fiscal year 2017, which ran partly through 2016, they used about 2,600 tons total.

Boone County Public Works reported that it budgets in terms of lump sums for salt use. The department budgeted $200,000 for salt use and has spent about $58,000 on it.

Columbia Public Works said the department hasn’t gone over budget in the past several years, but winters can be pretty dynamic and it’s hard to predict what will be needed.

But in years with higher than budgeted costs, officials said, they look for additional funding from other sources, most often from Street Division maintenance funds.