Dolly Plowton hits the street. Photo courtesy of City of Madison Street Maintenance.
After the recent heavy snowfall, the condition of our streets is a major concern. I commend the Charlie Romines, Streets Superintendent, and his staff for doing their best with what they must work with.
Given the condition of the streets, there's clearly room for improvement. As residents, understanding where our snow removal funds go is crucial, especially when considering the decisions made by our city council, where 15 of the 20 members have less than three years of tenure.
In the short term, I've raised several vital questions with my alder and the mayor and am awaiting their response:
Reflection on Strategies: Could different approaches or strategies have led to better outcomes in recent snow events, according to our street staff? A fundamental principal of quality improvement is the people on the front lines doing the work are most knowledgeable about how best to do it. Having staff share external perspectives on best practices would also be enlightening so we're better informed.
Benchmarking Service Levels: What steps must Madison take to match the service levels and outcomes of our neighboring communities in terms of street conditions?
Cost Analysis: What are the projected additional costs associated with achieving these service levels?
Environmental Considerations: Are there any significant environmental impacts associated with enhancing our snow removal services?
Armed with this information, Madison can make informed decisions about its future steps. Additionally, there are other crucial aspects of our snow removal services that need clarity:
Budget Review: The snow removal budget was $7.72 million in 2023. How does this compare historically, especially when adjusted for inflation and the increasing mileage of streets that need plowing?
Event Planning: How many major/minor events can our current budget cater to? How has this changed over time? A few years ago the city budgeted for 5.5 major events (more than 3") and 30 minor events.
Reserve Funds: What is the status of our reserve fund for extraordinary snow events? Where they used in this most recent snow event? If not why? Understanding when and how these funds can be utilized is essential for effective crisis management. Is streets authorized to "break the glass" and use reserve funds when snowfall is over a certain threshold?
Fleet Analysis: What is the maximum number of city-owned equipment available for major snow events? What is the maximum number when contractors are utilized? There's a noticeable reduction when contractors are utilized from 170 in 2016 to 150 now, despite an increase in city size and density.
Contractor Utilization: In what scenarios do we engage contractors, and how does this affect our overall capacity for snow removal?
Budget Adjustments: Given the evolving climate patterns, is basing our snow removal budget on a 30-year average still practical, or should we consider a shorter timeframe for more accurate predictions?
Please drive safely and stay warm this winter!
For those interested in the finer details, here's a link to the City of Madison Snow & Ice Procedures manual. If you enjoy this content, please like and share. For questions and media inquiries, please comment below, send an email to asaloutos@tds.net or call (608) 345-9009.
© Alex Saloutos 2024.
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